Leylah Annie Fernandez likes how new coach Eric Hechtman is fitting in with her team. "My favourite part is that there's no nonsense," the 23-year-old said. "He's very honest, and it's the same with my dad ... He's not going to bulls--t me." Fernandez is 3-2 through two tournaments with Hechtman.
Leylah Annie Fernandez built trust in her game in Toronto, but started overthinking again in Sunday's showdown with Naomi Osaka. "The first two matches I trusted myself completely," Fernandez told TSN. "Today, unfortunately, as the match got tighter, I made a couple mistakes and kind of pulled up on my shots."
Leylah Fernandez was eliminated from the National Bank Open with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka in the Round of 16 in Toronto. The 30th-seeded Fernandez was the last Canadian remaining in either the men's or women's singles draws.
Initially surprised to receive a wildcard, Duncan Chan became the only Canadian to make it through qualifying at the National Bank Open. And the 21-year-old from Markham, Ont. has certainly made the most of the experience in Montreal, including warming up Ben Shelton, sitting in Joao Fonseca's box and beating Alexander Zverev in doubles.
Top-seed Aryna Sabalenka had her hands full in the Round of 16 in Toronto and ultimately fell to Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.
Iga Swiatek dropped the opening set but rebounded with a dominating performance to close out Marta Kostyuk 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and secure her spot in the quarter-finals at the National Bank Open in Toronto.
Leylah Annie Fernandez has won consecutive matches for the first time since May and her father and coach Jorge thinks the atmosphere in Toronto is a big reason why. "The fans have shown an immense amount of love and recognition of her work," he said. "I think that has elevated, once again, her belief that this can happen for her and she can turn it around."
Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez rolled to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva at the National Bank Open on Friday for her first win over a top-10 opponent this season.
Naomi Osaka and Leylah Annie Fernandez will faceoff in the round-of-16 in Toronto after playing a practice set in Washington during the previous event. "Truthfully, I played really bad," Osaka recalled with a laugh. "I hope maybe she thinks that I'll play that bad, and she will be caught off guard."
Kayla Cross had a lot of fun playing doubles with Bianca Andreescu in Toronto. "It means so much," the 21-year-old from London, Ont. said. "Her attitude towards everything is so great." Cross, who won her first WTA match on Monday, is leaning on the 2019 US Open champion for advice as she aims to get established on tour.
After rewatching her first-round loss in Toronto, Bianca Andreescu is focusing on "finishing shots" in preparation for the qualifying event at the US Open. "Of course, I would love to be in the main draw, but I know where I’m at right now," the 26-year-old said. "I just have to keep building my way up."
Bianca Andreescu, who lifted the trophy in Toronto in 2019, believes Leylah Annie Fernandez is capable of following in her footsteps this year. "She’s fearless," Andreescu said. "Like, when she’s on, she’s on. She can beat anybody. Her game is so beautiful as well, very aggressive."
New coach Eric Hechtman was impressed with the toughness Leylah Annie Fernandez displayed during an upset win over Mirra Andreeva. "I told her the main thing was to work every single point and mix it up with coming to the net and she did," he said. "She’s a helluva athlete and she showed it today."
American tennis star and reigning National Bank Open winner Ben Shelton continued his title defence with a dominant straight set win over Zizou Bergs on Friday to advance to the Round of 16 in Montreal.
Leylah Annie Fernandez upset No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva on Friday to record her first top-10 win in more than a year. The 23-year-old Canadian told TSN "it's been a while" since she felt that good in a match. Fernandez believes working hard on her mental game is now paying off in Toronto.
TSN's Mark Masters joins SportsCentre to breakdown Leylah Annie Fernandez's upset win over Mirra Andreeva Friday to advance to the Round of 16 at the National Bank Open.
After an injury prevented Serena Williams from playing doubles with Venus at Wimbledon, the sisters are finally reuniting next week in Cincinnati. "I think the whole world was looking forward to Wimbledon, and it just didn't end up the way we had hoped," Venus said. "Hopefully we can get on the court and get back into the swing of things and pick up right where we left off."
Venus Williams and Alex Eala were all smiles on Thursday despite dropping their first-round doubles match in Toronto. "The fact that I got to play with Venus is like an amazing highlight to my career," Eala said. Venus initiated the partnership. "I think we both thrive in pressure situations," the 46-year-old said. "Alex is a world star. She's just incredible."
After dropping the first set, Cameron Norrie battled back in a big way against the No. 3 ranked Alex de Minaur, taking the next set in a long tiebreak and dominating the final set to earn the upset victory.
Four-time Grand Slam winner and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka dropped only seven points on her first serve in a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over Zhang Shuai in 76 minutes.
The Fernandez sisters – 23-year-old Leylah Annie and 22-year-old Bianca Jolie – lost their rain-delayed first-round doubles match on Thursday. But despite the result, the pair are relishing every moment of the rare time together this week in Toronto.
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