Leylah Annie Fernandez is a rising star on the women's tennis circuit. The Canadian has now officially arrived.
Playing in her second career final, the 18-year-old captured her first WTA title with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Viktorija Golubic at the Monterrey Open on Sunday.
Ranked 88th in the world entering the match — which has now skyrocketed to No. 69 — Fernandez put on a dominant performance. A strong baseliner, the Laval, Que., native won 68 percent of the points on her first serve (Golubic won just 50 percent) and broke the Swiss player on four of six chances. Fernandez also saved four of five break points against.
✨ First WTA title ✨@leylahfernandez secures the title 🏆 with a 6-1, 6-4, win over Golubic!#AbiertoGNPSeguros pic.twitter.com/Tnt7C2RhZ3
— wta (@WTA) March 22, 2021
Over the course of the tournament, Fernandez did not drop a set and needed just 89 minutes in the capper. She won the first five games of the opening set against Golubic and showcased her strong game at the baseline throughout the match. While she trailed in the second set, she battled to get it even at 4-all before breaking her 28-year-old opponent. Fernandez then closed it out with a forehand approach into the open court after a short rally.
“When I was seeing everybody going to the court, the trophies and then I sat down, I took a few deep breaths and then I realized that I won,” Fernandez said in her post-match press conference, per Tennis Canada. “It was just a little sad because my family isn’t here with me and we can’t celebrate as a family. It was a family effort for years. But I was very happy that the hard work, the sacrifices we’ve done since the beginning is paying off and then just hoping that there will be many more and this time my family can be there with me every step of the way in the tournament.”
“I just tried to think of it as another match,” she later added. “I just wanted to focus on my game, on executing the game plan my coaches were telling me, execute my practices and I think today was one of those days where my balls went in when it mattered the most and I’m just very happy with it and I’m happy that I was able to stay in the present moment and not wander to the future or stay in the past points.”
Love at first sight. 😍@leylahfernandez meets her first WTA trophy.
— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) March 22, 2021
A moment to remember. pic.twitter.com/5nFkYBR7y8
Fernandez lost her other WTA final, a three-set battle against Great Britain's Heather Watson at the 2020 Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico, but would not be denied against the Swiss qualifier. In 2019, she captured the French Open's junior title, becoming the first Canadian woman to win a junior Grand Slam since Eugenie Bouchard in 2012.
There's not much time for the teenager to enjoy her win: She's jetting off to Florida for the Miami Open's qualifiers. Fernandez is scheduled to take on Mihaela Buzărnescu at 4:30 p.m. ET on Monday. Fellow Canadian Bianca Andreescu is in the main draw.