Leylah Annie Fernandez

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Leylah Annie Fernandez
Birthdate September 6, 2002
Birthplace Montréal, Québec, Canada
From Laval, Québec, Canada
Residence Boynton Beach, Florida, United States
Height 5’6” (1,68m)
Style of play Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Turned pro 2019
Best WTA singles ranking No. 13 (August 8, 2022)
Best WTA doubles ranking No. 17 (October 23, 2023)
Family Bianca Jolie Fernandez (sister)
Profile on CdnTennis.ca

Biography

Leylah Annie Fernandez (born September 6, 2002 in Montréal, Québec, Canada) is a Canadian professional tennis player. She reached a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 13 on August 8, 2022 and a career-high WTA doubles ranking of No. 17 on October 23, 2023.

In 2017, in only her second professional event, Fernandez qualified for the main draw of the ITF 25K in Jackson. She defeated world No. 471 Dia Evtimova in the opening round and became the first player born in 2002 to win a main draw match at a 25K Challenger. She lost to former world No. 56 Alla Kudryavtseva in the next round. Also in 2017, she qualified for her second ITF 25K main draw but was defeated by compatriot Aleksandra Wozniak in the first round in Winnipeg. In 2018, Fernandez won one of her biggest titles on the junior circuit after defeating Clara Tauson at the ITF GA in Porto Alegre. At the 2018 junior French Open, her first Grand Slam, she reached the semifinals in singles. She also reached the quarterfinals in singles of the 2018 US Open. At the 2018 Coupe Banque Nationale, Fernandez got her first WTA main-draw win with a victory over compatriot Gabriela Dabrowski. She was defeated by Heather Watson in the second round. In 2019, she became the first Canadian girl to reach the singles final of the junior Australian Open, but was defeated by the first seed Clara Tauson. Also in 2019, she won her first Grand Slam title, defeating Emma Navarro at the junior French Open. At the 2019 Challenger de Gatineau, Fernandez captured her first professional titles, winning in both singles and doubles. The next week at the ITF W80 in Granby, she reached her second professional singles final but lost to Lizette Cabrera. In September 2019, she reached the No. 1 combined junior world ranking, the first time a Canadian girl has been top ranked and the second overall. Also in 2019, she advanced to her third ITF singles final, losing to Fernanda Contreras Gómez at the W25 in Waco. At the 2019 Challenger Banque Nationale de Saguenay, she captured her second ITF doubles title with compatriot Mélodie Collard. The next week in Toronto, Fernandez and Collard reached their second straight ITF W60 final where they were defeated by Robin Anderson and Jessika Ponchet. In 2020 at the Australian Open, she qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw where she lost to Lauren Davis in the first round. At the 2020 Fed Cup qualifying round, she defeated her first top 10 player thanks to a straight-sets win over world No. 5 Belinda Bencic. Fernandez reached her first WTA final at the 2020 Mexican Open in Acapulco, losing to Heather Watson. In October 2020, she reached the doubles final of the ITF W15 in Sharm El Sheikh with sister Bianca Jolie, losing to Russians Veronika Pepelyaeva and Anastasia Tikhonova. In March 2021, Fernandez captured her first WTA title, defeating Viktorija Golubic in straight sets in the final of the 250 Series in Monterrey, Mexico. In September 2021, Fernandez became the fourth Canadian man or woman to reach a Grand Slam final in singles, finishing runner-up to Emma Raducanu at the US Open. In 2022, she defended her title in Monterrey with a victory over Camila Osorio. In 2023, she reached her first WTA 1000 final in doubles, finishing runners-up with partner Taylor Townsend at the Miami Open. The same year at the French Open, she advanced to her first Grand Slam doubles final again with Townsend. Again in 2023, she won her third WTA singles title at the 250 event in Hong Kong. In 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, Fernandez was named Female Player of the Year by Tennis Canada. In 2021 and twice in 2023, Fernandez was awarded the Billie Jean King Cup Heart Award. She also has won the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as the Canadian female athlete of the year in 2021.

Fernandez was born in Montréal but grew up in Laval. Her father Jorge is from Ecuador and her mother Irene Exevea from Toronto, Ontario and of Filipino descent. She has an older sister Jodeci, and a younger sister, Bianca Jolie who also plays tennis. In the summer of 2015, she took home the two gold medals in singles competitions in two international tournaments in Italy and another gold medal in the Canadian U-16 Indoor Championships. Moving up two age brackets she also finished eighth in the Canadian U18 Championships held in Vancouver. Later that year, she finished third in the Québec U-16 indoor championships held in Repentigny. Fernandez is a product of the academy Tennis 13 in Laval. She is now training in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 2021 US Open Hard Emma Raducanu (GBR) 4–6, 3–6

Doubles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 2023 French Open Clay Taylor Townsend (USA) Hsieh Su-wei (TPE)
Wang Xinyu (CHN)		 6–1, 6–7(5–7), 1–6

Other significant finals

WTA Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 / WTA 1000 finals

Doubles: 2 (2 runners-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 2023 Miami Hard Taylor Townsend (USA) Coco Gauff (USA)
Jessica Pegula (USA)		 6–7(6–8), 2–6
Loss 2024 Cincinnati Hard Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) Asia Muhammad (USA)
Erin Routliffe (NZL)		 6–3, 1–6, [4–10]

WTA career finals

Singles: 6 (3 titles, 3 runners-up)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–1)
Olympic Games (0–0)
WTA Finals (0–0)
WTA Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 / WTA 1000 (0–0)
WTA Premier / WTA 500 (0–1)
WTA International / WTA 250 (3–1)
Titles by surface
Hard (3–2)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–1)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 Feb 2020 Mexican Open, Mexico International Hard Heather Watson (GBR) 4–6, 7–6(10–8), 1–6
Win 1–1 Mar 2021 Monterrey Open, Mexico 250 Series Hard Viktorija Golubic (SUI) 6–1, 6–4
Loss 1–2 Sep 2021 US Open, United States Grand Slam Hard Emma Raducanu (GBR) 4–6, 3–6
Win 2–2 Mar 2022 Monterrey Open, Mexico (2) 250 Series Hard Camila Osorio (COL) 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 7–6(7–3)
Win 3–2 Oct 2023 Hong Kong Open, China 250 Series Hard Kateřina Siniaková (SVK) 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 3–3 Jun 2024 Eastbourne International, United Kingdom 500 Series Grass Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 3–6, 4–6

Doubles: 4 (4 runners-up)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–1)
Olympic Games (0–0)
WTA Finals (0–0)
WTA Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 / WTA 1000 (0–2)
WTA Premier / WTA 500 (0–0)
WTA International / WTA 250 (0–1)
Titles by surface
Hard (0–3)
Clay (0–1)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Jan 2023 Auckland Open, New Zealand 250 Series Hard Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) Miyu Kato (JPN)
Aldila Sutjiadi (INA) 		6–1, 5–7, [4–10]
Loss 0–2 Apr 2023 Miami Open, United States 1000 Series Hard Taylor Townsend (USA) Coco Gauff (USA)
Jessica Pegula (USA) 		6–7(6–8), 2–6
Loss 0–3 Jun 2023 French Open, France Grand Slam Clay Taylor Townsend (USA) Hsieh Su-wei (TPE)
Wang Xinyu (CHN) 		6–1, 6–7(5–7), 1–6
Loss 0–4 Aug 2024 Cincinnati Open, United States 1000 Series Hard Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) Asia Muhammad (USA)
Erin Routliffe (NZL) 		6–3, 1–6, [4–10]

Other finals

Team competitions: 1 (1 title)

Result Date Tournament Surface Team Partners Opponent team Opponent players Score
Win Nov 2023 Billie Jean King Cup, Seville, Spain Hard (i) Canada Eugenie Bouchard (CAN)
Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN)
Rebecca Marino (CAN)
Marina Stakusic (CAN) 		Italy Lucia Bronzetti (ITA)
Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA)
Jasmine Paolini (ITA)
Lucrezia Stefanini (ITA)
Martina Trevisan (ITA) 		2–0

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 3 (1 title, 2 runners-up)

Legend
ITF $100,000 tournaments / ITF W100 (0–0)
ITF $75,000 / ITF $80,0000 tournaments / ITF W75 / ITF W80 (0–1)
ITF $50,000 / ITF $60,000 tournaments / ITF W50 / ITF W60 (0–0)
ITF W40 (0–0)
ITF $25,000 tournaments / ITF W25 / ITF W35 (1–1)
ITF $15,000 tournaments / ITF W15 (0–0)
Titles by surface
Hard (1–2)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 Jul 2019 Gatineau, Canada W25 Hard Carson Branstine (CAN) 3–6, 6–1, 6–2
Loss 1–1 Jul 2019 Granby, Canada W80 Hard Lizette Cabrera (AUS) 1–6, 4–6
Loss 1–2 Oct 2019 Waco, United States W25 Hard Fernanda Contreras Gómez (MEX) 3–6, 6–2, 1–6

Doubles: 4 (2 titles, 2 runners-up)

Legend
ITF $100,000 tournaments / ITF W100 (0–0)
ITF $75,000 / ITF $80,000 tournaments / ITF W75 / ITF W80 (0–0)
ITF $50,000 / ITF $60,000 tournaments / ITF W50 / ITF W60 (1–1)
ITF W40 (0–0)
ITF $25,000 tournaments / ITF W25 / ITF W35 (1–0)
ITF $15,000 tournaments / ITF W15 (0–1)
Titles by surface
Hard (2–2)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 Jul 2019 Gatineau, Canada W25 Hard Rebecca Marino (CAN) Hsu Chieh-yu (TPE)
Marcela Zacarías (MEX) 		7–6(7–5), 6–3
Win 2–0 Oct 2019 Saguenay, Canada W60 Hard (i) Mélodie Collard (CAN) Samantha Murray (GBR)
Bibiane Schoofs (NED) 		7–6(7–3), 6–2
Loss 2–1 Nov 2019 Toronto, Canada W60 Hard (i) Mélodie Collard (CAN) Robin Anderson (USA)
Jessika Ponchet (FRA) 		6–7(7–9), 2–6
Loss 2–2 Oct 2020 Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt W15 Hard Bianca Jolie Fernandez (CAN) Veronika Pepelyaeva (RUS)
Anastasia Tikhonova (RUS) 		6–4, 3–6, [6–10]

Junior Grand Slam finals

Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 2019 Australian Open Hard Clara Tauson (DEN) 4–6, 3–6
Win 2019 French Open Clay Emma Navarro (USA) 6–3, 6–2

Singles performance timeline

This table is current as of September 9, 2024.

Tournament 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A A A 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R 0 / 5 2–5 29%
French Open A A A A 3R 2R QF 2R 3R 0 / 5 10–5 67%
Wimbledon A A A A NH 1R A 2R 2R 0 / 3 2–3 40%
US Open A A A A 2R F 2R 1R 1R 0 / 5 8–5 62%
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 3–3 7–4 5–3 3–4 4–4 0 / 18 22–18 55%
Year-end championships
WTA Finals Did Not Qualify NH Did Not Qualify 0 / 0 0–0 –
WTA Elite Trophy Did Not Qualify Not Held DNQ 0 / 0 0–0 –
WTA Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 / WTA 1000 tournaments
Doha1 A NP5 A NP5 A NT A NT QF 0 / 1 3–1 75%
Dubai1 NP5 A NP5 A NP5 A NT 2R 2R 0 / 2 2–2 50%
Indian Wells A A A A NH 4R 4R 3R 2R 0 / 4 5–4 56%
Miami A A A A NH Q1 2R 2R 3R 0 / 3 2–3 40%
Madrid A A A A NH Q1 2R 1R 3R 0 / 3 2–3 40%
Rome A A A A Q1 Q1 2R 1R 1R 0 / 3 1–3 25%
Canada A A Q2 1R NH 1R 2R 3R 2R 0 / 5 4–5 44%
Cincinnati A A A A 1R 1R 1R Q1 QF 0 / 4 3–4 43%
Beijing A A A A Not Held Q1 0 / 0 0–0 –
Wuhan A A A A Not Held 0 / 0 0–0 –
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–1 2–3 5–6 5–6 10–8 0 / 25 22–25 47%
Former WTA 1000 tournaments
Guadalajara Not Held 1R QF NT 0 / 2 3–2 60%
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 3–1 0–0 0 / 2 3–2 60%
National representation
Olympic Games A Not Held 2R Not Held 3R 0 / 2 3–2 60%
Fed Cup / Billie Jean King Cup A A A PO QR PO RR W 1 / 2 12–3 80%
United Cup Not Held A RR 0 / 1 1–1 50%
Career statistics
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win %
Tournaments 1 11 9 17 9 18 15 25 19 124
Titles 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 3
Finals 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 6
Hardcourt Win–Loss 0–0 6–5 4–4 25–12 18–8 21–10 15–11 32–16 11–11 3 / 78 132–77 63%
Clay Win–Loss 0–1 11–6 4–4 10–5 2–2 3–5 6–4 5–6 6–6 0 / 38 47–39 55%
Grass Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–2 0–0 2–2 7–3 0 / 7 10–7 59%
Carpet Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 1–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0 / 1 1–1 50%
Overall Win–Loss 0–1 17–11 9–9 35–17 20–10 25–17 21–15 39–24 24–20 3 / 124 190–124 61%
Win % 0% 61% 50% 67% 67% 60% 58% 62% 55% 60.51%
Year-end ranking – 727 515 209 88 24 40 35 –

Notes

  • 1 The first WTA 1000 event of the year (then a WTA Premier 5) has switched back and forth between the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Qatar Ladies Open beginning in 2009. Dubai was classified as a WTA Premier 5 event from 2009–2011 before being succeeded by Doha for the 2012–2014 period. From 2015 to 2023, the two tournaments alternated between WTA Premier 5 and Premier status every year.
  • NB The tournament in Cincinnati (then a WTA Premier 5) was played in New York City, the French Open was played in September and after the US Open, the Italian Open was also played in September and after the tournament in New York City/Cincinnati (then a WTA Premier 5), and the 2020 Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
  • NB The WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells was played in October and after the tournament in Cincinnati due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

Doubles performance timeline

This table is current as of September 9, 2024.

Tournament 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A A A 3R 1R 1R A 0 / 3 2–3 40%
French Open A A A 1R 3R 2R F 3R 0 / 5 9–5 64%
Wimbledon A A A NH 1R A 2R 3R 0 / 3 3–3 50%
US Open A A A A 3R 2R QF 1R 0 / 4 6–4 60%
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 5–4 2–3 9–4 4–3 0 / 15 20–15 57%
Year-end championships
WTA Finals Did Not Qualify NH Did Not Qualify 0 / 0 0–0 –
WTA Elite Trophy Did Not Qualify Not Held A 0 / 0 0–0 –
WTA Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 / WTA 1000 tournaments
Doha1 NP5 A NP5 A NT A NT 2R 0 / 1 1–0 100%
Dubai1 A NP5 A NP5 A NT QF 1R 0 / 2 2–2 50%
Indian Wells A A A NH QF SF 2R A 0 / 3 5–3 63%
Miami A A A NH A 1R F A 0 / 2 4–2 67%
Madrid A A A NH A 2R SF A 0 / 2 4–2 67%
Rome A A A A A A A 2R 0 / 1 1–1 50%
Canada A A 1R NH 2R 2R A SF 0 / 4 5–4 56%
Cincinnati A A A A A A A F 0 / 1 3–1 75%
Beijing A A A Not Held A 0 / 0 0–0 –
Wuhan A A A Not Held 0 / 0 0–0 –
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 3–2 4–4 10–4 8–4 0 / 16 25–15 63%
Former WTA 1000 tournaments
Guadalajara Not Held A QF NT 0 / 1 1–1 50%
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–1 0–0 0 / 1 1–1 50%
National representation
Olympic Games Not Held A Not Held 2R 0 / 1 1–1 50%
Fed Cup / Billie Jean King Cup A A PO QR PO RR W 1 / 2 4–0 100%
Career statistics
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win %
Tournaments 2 3 9 4 9 10 12 12 61
Titles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Finals 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4
Hardcourt Win–Loss 0–1 1–1 13–5 5–3 8–6 7–7 15–8 7–5 0 / 40 56–36 61%
Clay Win–Loss 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–2 2–2 9–3 6–4 0 / 16 22–16 58%
Grass Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 1–1 2–2 0 / 4 3–4 43%
Carpet Win–Loss 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0 / 1 0–1 0%
Overall Win–Loss 2–2 2–3 14–7 5–4 9–9 9–9 25–12 15–11 0 / 61 80–572 58%
Win % 50% 40% 67% 56% 50% 50% 68% 58% 58.39%
Year-end ranking – 981 296 293 74 76 20 –

Notes

  • 1 The first WTA 1000 event of the year (then a WTA Premier 5) has switched back and forth between the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Qatar Ladies Open beginning in 2009. Dubai was classified as a WTA Premier 5 event from 2009–2011 before being succeeded by Doha for the 2012–2014 period. From 2015 to 2023, the two tournaments alternated between WTA Premier 5 and Premier status every year.
  • 2 The total overall W–L record showed in this table is the official one from the WTA. Wins that should have been included and were not counted in this W–L record : 1 in 2022 (BJK Cup Finals; Hard; November).
  • NB The tournament in Cincinnati (then a WTA Premier 5) was played in New York City, the French Open was played in September and after the US Open, the Italian Open was also played in September and after the tournament in New York City/Cincinnati (then a WTA Premier 5), and the 2020 Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
  • NB The WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells was played in October and after the tournament in Cincinnati due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

Mixed doubles performance timeline

This table is current through the 2024 US Open.

Tournament 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A A 0 / 0 0–0 –
French Open A A A 0 / 0 0–0 –
Wimbledon A 2R A 0 / 1 1–1 50%
US Open QF A A 0 / 1 2–1 67%
Win–Loss 2–1 1–1 0–0 0 / 2 3–2 60%
National representation
United Cup NH A RR 0 / 1 1–0 100%

Wins over top-10 opponents

Fernandez has a 7–16 (30%) record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.

Wins over top-10 opponents per season
Season 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total
Wins 0 1 3 0 1 2 7
No. Opponent Rank Event Surface Round Score Fernandez
Rank
2020
1. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 5 Fed Cup, Biel, Switzerland Hard (i) QR 6–2, 7–6(7–3) 185
2021
2. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 3 US Open, United States Hard 3R 5–7, 7–6(7–2), 6–4 73
3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5 US Open, United States Hard QF 6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–5) 73
4. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2 US Open, United States Hard SF 7–6(7–3), 4–6, 6–4 73
2023
5. Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) 7 Fed Cup, Seville, Spain Hard (i) SF 6–2, 2–6, 6–3 35
2024
6. Zheng Qinwen (CHN) 7 Qatar Ladies Open, Qatar Hard 3R 7–5, 6–3 38
7. Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 4 Cincinnati Open, United States Hard 2R 3–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–4 26

External links

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