Leylah Fernandez exclusive - On her sacrifices, fighting spirit and why playing for Canada gives her more confidence

As Leylah Fernandez stood in the middle of the court, it sounded more like she was in her hometown of Montreal than in Hong Kong, China.

The cheers rained down on her from every side in Victoria Park, the site of her third career WTA singles title – and first in over two years. Wherever Fernandez goes, the 21-year-old is a fan favourite, and she’s settling more into life on the road since her breakout run to the US Open final in 2021.

“Dreams transformed into reality,” she’d write that night on her social media. “Through hard work and dedication.”

So has gone the story for Fernandez, the Canadian with Ecuadorian and Filipino roots: Under-sized at 5-foot-6 (1.68m), the lefty captured the Roland-Garros junior girls title in 2019, reaching the No.1 junior ranking.

It heaved the spotlight on her at just age 16, and just over two years later she made that Cinderella run to the US Open final, stopped only by a fellow surging teenager in Emma Raducanu.

“I do try to keep memories [of my work] in mind when I struggle on the court,” she told Olympics.com ahead of representing Team Canada in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

“It does give me motivation to play even better because I don’t want my parents’ sacrifices to have been wasted.”

That motivation has worked wonders with Fernandez key to Canada's success in Seville.

After winning two out of two in singles matches in group play, she engineered her team's comeback against Czechia in the semi-finals.

First, she defeated Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in three sets in a must-win encounter after Marina Stakusic had gone down to Barbora Krejcikova.

Then she teamed up with Gabriela Dabrowski to defeat Olympic and seven-time Grand Slam doubles champions Krejickova and Katerina Siniakova and send Canada through to a first Billie Jean King Cup final against Italy.

And in the final, after Stakusic had stunned Martina Trevisan, Fernandez beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2 6-3 to secure a first women's tennis world team title.

Leylah Fernandez: I play for 'the whole country'

“Every time I have 'Canada' written on the back of my shirt, it gives me a lot of confidence,” says Fernandez, who suited up in both singles and doubles for captain Heidi El Tabakh.

Her doubles rise this season has been poignant, reaching the Roland-Garros and Miami 1000 finals with American Taylor Townsend, the duo just missing out on the WTA Finals having been named as first alternates.

Going into the finals in Seville, she was 2-0 in Billie Jean King Cup play with fellow Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski, who recently captured the US Open doubles crown with New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe.

The duo could be one to watch at next year’s Paris 2024, held at Stade Roland-Garros... and a will-they, won’t-they conversation should build for the Canadians around mixed doubles, too, with Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov both top singles players. (Dabrowski and Auger-Aliassime teamed up for Tokyo 2020.)

There is a certain pride in country that Fernandez has when she represents Canada on the global stage, especially with the WTA Tour and Grand Slams mostly operating on an individual basis.

“I don’t only play for myself but the whole country,” explained Fernandez. “And so I try to help my country... [use] my strength to work harder and fight on all the points so that we can advance, reach the final.”

Leylah on her parents' sacrifices for her career

Fernandez’s story is a unique one: Her father, Jorge, is a former top footballer who helped introduce his daughter to the sport and served as her first coach. When Leylah proved a formidable junior, the family made the painful decision to separate and move Jorge and Leylah to the U.S., so she could look to level up.

It’s an experience that still sticks with her.

“It was a bit difficult; my parents had to sell all of their belongings, their car, their jewelry, everything which mattered to them, only to help me fulfill my dream,” remembered Fernandez.

“I am very lucky to have parents who helped me so much in that sense,” she added. “And also to have had the chance to see many places around the world with my dad... it is very special.”

Fernandez credits her father for helping her develop her never-say-die approach, a part of her game that has become well-known in women's tennis: Leylah never gives up.

"He taught me how to fight on the court, but also [how] to play with a different style, by hitting the ball earlier, play with more angles and use my skills against players who would be taller and stronger than me," she said.

The plan to 'bring back medals' for Canada

Fernandez thinks back to the young woman who first dreamed big tennis dreams and where she has arrived to today, with 2024 set to be her fifth full year on the WTA.

"I would tell the little girl I was - something like five or six years ago - to keep on working hard and keep smiling," she said. "Smiling is crucial, always live and love the moment, looking forward to the next adventure you’ll have in the next month, next year."

Next year is, indeed, an Olympic season. Fernandez made her Olympic debut at Tokyo, winning her first round match before falling to Barbora Krejcikova in round two.

It's not just the tennis she's excited about for Paris, should she qualify - it's the entire Games experience themselves.

"I approach next season slightly differently with the Games," she said. "The Olympic Games are very special: It’s only every four years, it’s all the sports... so I really hope I can be there for Canada and support all the Canadian athletes in other sports.

"I hope we’ll bring back many medals for Canada, fingers crossed!"