Monday Digest: Fernandez Finding Form Ahead of US Open

Leylah Annie Fernandez seems to be peaking at the perfect time with the US Open just days away. 

The Canadian is coming off a very successful run in Cincinnati and is building momentum ahead of the year’s final major, where she had her best-ever run at a big event three years ago. 

Here’s what you need to know. 

In Case You Missed It: Double the Results for Leylah 

What a week it was for Leylah Annie Fernandez at the Cincinnati Open. 

Her singles or doubles results would have been impressive on their own, but reaching the quarter-finals and final in the same tournament makes her stint in Cincinnati all the more impressive. 

Partnering with Yulia Putintseva for the first time in doubles, Fernandez followed up her semifinal run in Toronto by reaching her second WTA 1000 doubles final, upsetting top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, Fernandez’s former partner, in the quarter-finals and then defeating Linda Noskova and Diana Shnaider, who the Canadian also beat in singles, in the semis. 

The Canadian-Kazakhstani pair took the opening set of the final before the third-seeded pair of world No. 1 Erin Routliffe, who with Gabriela Dabrowski had beaten Fernandez in Toronto the week before, and Asia Muhammad rallied to sneak out the win in a match tiebreak. 

Fernandez also went on a run in singles, scoring impressive comeback victories from a set and a break down against Yue Yuan and world No. 4 Elena Rybakina, saving match points to beat the latter.  

A third-round win over Shnaider sent her into a second WTA 1000 singles quarter-final of 2024 where she nearly pulled her greatest escape yet, pushing Toronto champion Jessica Pegula to a third set tiebreak despite having trailed by a set and 4-0 in the second and 3-0 in the third, but she ran out of magic in the decider. 

Félix Auger-Aliassime also had a solid bounce-back performance in Cincinnati, reaching the third round with dominant wins over Aleksandar Kovacevic and world No. 8 Casper Ruud before a tough three-set loss to Jack Draper in round three which ended on a controversial missed call on match point.  

Bianca Andreescu also competed in Cincinnati, losing in round one to Elina Avanesyan. 

What to Watch: Final Prep Before New York 

With the US Open getting underway on the weekend, Leylah Annie Fernandez is looking to squeeze in a couple more matches ahead of the final Grand Slam event of the year.  

She is the second seed at the WTA 250 event in Cleveland this week. She opens her campaign against Ana Bogdan and is in the same quarter as No. 5 seed Anastasia Potapova. Beatriz Haddad Maia is the top seed. 

Carol Zhao came through qualifying to get into the main draw of the WTA 500 event in Monterrey this week. It will be her first main draw on the WTA Tour in 2024. She plays Petra Martic in the first round and could face No. 7 seed Yue Yuan in round two.  

It is the first time Zhao has successfully qualified for a tour-level event since the WTA 1000 tournament in Guadalajara last September. 

Under the Radar:  

There were a couple of Canadian winners on the ITF junior circuit last week. Jay Lin Gibson edged out top seed Allan Gatoto to win the J60 boys singles event in Kigali, Rwanda, while Anissa Saada teamed up with Nina Marcela Chavez Vicente to win the girl’s doubles at a J30 in El Salvador. 

Canada plays host to the ITF Women’s World Tour this week with a W35 event in Saskatoon. Half of the singles field is from the home country, 

Click here to read the full Saskatoon preview.

National championships month is also ongoing. The Fischer U16 and U12 Outdoor Junior Nationals both got underway last Friday and continue through this week. 

Click here to reach the full U16 and U12 preview.

Qualifying for the US Open has also begun in New York. 

Gabriel Diallo is the lone Canadian man competing. He will play Sho Shimabukuro in the first round, with No. 18 seed Terence Atmane and No. 8 seed Hugo Dellien potentially standing between him and the main draw. 

Rebecca Marino and Marina Stakusic are both competing on the women’s side.  

Marino kicks off her bid against Ysaline Bonaventure. She could play No. 21 seed Suzan Lames in the second round and No. 5 seed Rebeka Masarova in the third. Stakusic opens against Celine Naef and is in the same section as No. 26 seed Laura Pigossi and No. 16 seed Arina Rodionova. 

You can follow the Canadians in action every week here.