Monday Digest: Fernandez Remains a Dual Threat

October tends to be a month where the Canadians play good tennis and Leylah Annie Fernandez was just one example last week. 

She delivered a strong performance at the WTA 1000 event in Wuhan which complimented a series of Canadian victories on the ITF circuit on home soil. 

Here’s what you need to know. 

In Case You Missed It: Fernandez Impresses in Wuhan 

Last week was the last WTA 1000 event of the 2024 and Leylah Annie Fernandez gave one more solid performance on a big stage, reaching the third round of the singles and the semifinals of the doubles at the Wuhan Open. 

The road was not easy for the Canadian in either draw. In the doubles, she and Aldila Sutjiadi had to go through two of the top five seeded teams to reach the semifinals but impressed in both, dropping a combined nine games in four sets against fifth seeds Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang and second seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez. 

Their run was halted in the final four by the eventual runners-up Asia Muhammad and Jessica Pegula. 

Fernandez was also bested by the eventual runner-up in the singles. After an upset win over No. 12 seed Diana Shnaider and a gritty victory over Kamilla Rakhimova, the Canadian was beaten by world No. 7 Qinwen Zheng in three sets.   

It was Fernandez’s third WTA 1000 doubles semifinal of the year and third appearance in the round of 16 in singles at that level. 

Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe were the top seeds in the Wuhan doubles but lost in the quarter-finals to the eventual champions Anna Danilina and Irina Khromacheva. 

What to Watch: Auger-Aliassime Returns to his Favourite Surface 

If there is one player who will likely be happy to step out on the indoor hard courts of Europe, it will be Félix Auger-Aliassime. 

Over the last two years, the Canadian has been one of the best players in the world indoors and has been particularly strong in October, where he won three titles in 2022 and another in 2023. 

He will kick off the indoor swing this week at the ATP 250 event in Antwerp, one of the places he was victorious two years ago. Auger-Aliassime is the third seed and will face Marton Fucsovics in his opening match. No. 6 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry is his projected quarter-final opponent and the Montrealer is in the top half of the draw with top seed Alex de Minaur. 

Read also: Revisiting Rafael Nadal’s Five Titles at the National Bank Open

Gabriel Diallo is also in action and already kicked off his campaign at the 250 event in Almaty, Kazakhstan with a win over Christopher O’Connell. He faces Borna Coric in round two and could meet No. 2 seed Alejandro Tabilo in the quarter-finals. 

Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe are the top seeds in Osaka and have gotten off to a winning start, claiming their opening match over Peangtarn Plipuech and Chia Yi Tsao in straight sets. They will meet the local pair of Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi in the quarter-finals. 

Bianca Andreescu was competing in singles in Osaka, her first event since the US Open, but she lost her first-round match to Greet Minnen in straight sets. 

Under the Radar: Strong Start to Home Swing 

The fall ITF swing through Canada got off to a dream start last week in Edmonton with Canadians winning three of the four titles at the joint ITF W35/M25 event. 

Liam Draxl was the double-champion, winning the singles and doubles with fellow Canadian Cleeve Harper. Kayla Cross joined them in the winners circle with a victory in the women’s doubles. 

Read the full Edmonton recap here.

Professional action continues in Canada this week in Calgary. The event is an ATP Challenger for the men and a W75 for the women. 

Read the full Calgary preview here.

Thomas Venos was also a winner on home soil last week, claiming the Sure Grip International Wheelchair Tennis Open in Fredericton, NB. 

Venos was the top seed and did not drop a set en route to the title, beating Jason Keatseangslip 6-3, 6-3 in the final. He and fellow Canadian Barry Henderson also won the doubles round-robin event, winning both of their matches.  

“Another good match for me today. It was a very similar match to yesterday’s where I knew if I could hit my shots I would win,” said Venos after the singles final. “Like yesterday’s match, I once again had a slower start and a dip halfway through the second set. But I weathered the storm and quickly bounced back. I’m playing well and will look to improve on this form going into nationals”   

Nationals gets underway this week in Bedford, NS as the nation’s best wheelchair tennis players arrive at the Sobeys Atlantic Tennis Centre for the Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships. 

You can follow the Canadians in action every week here.