Coco Gauff, Bianca Andreescu, Boris Becker and others congratulate Leylah Fernandez on winning first title of season at Hong Kong Open
Leylah Fernandez received an outpouring of congratulatory messages from her fellow tennis players following her triumph at the 2023 Hong Kong Open.
Fernandez commenced her campaign at the WTA 250 event with a blockbuster clash against top seed Victoria Azarenka. The pair engaged in a closely contested battle, with both players claiming a set each, before the Belarusian was forced to retire mid-match due to injury.
The Canadian then secured a comeback win over Mirra Andreeva to advance to the quarterfinals in Hong Kong. Subsequently, the 21-year-old defeated Linda Fruhvirtova and Anna Blinkova in straight sets to reach her first tour-level final in 593 days.
Leylah Fernandez took on Katerina Siniakova in the title clash. The Canadian battled back from a set down to record a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory, securing her first WTA title of the season and third career title overall.
Following her win, the 21-year-old took to social media and expressed her heartfelt gratitude for her fans' unwavering support.
"Dreams transformed into reality through hard work and dedication. This victory is not just mine, but a shared triumph with each of you who stood by me. Your unwavering support fueled every point on the court. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️," she captioned her Instagram post.
Leylah Fernandez was showered with well wishes from her fellow players, with Coco Gauff being one of the first to congratulate the Canadian.
"Congrats ❤️," Gauff commented.
Bianca Andreescu and Boris Becker also commended her on her victory.
"🙌🔥❤️," Andreescu commented.
"Congratulations 🙌🙌🙌," Becker posted.
Taylor Townsend, meanwhile, conveyed her affection for the 21-year-old in a heartfelt message.
"MY LEYBEY!!! Love you so much!! 🔥❤️," Townsend posted.
Her fellow Canadian tennis player Gabriela Dabrowski also extended her support.
"🙌🏻🔥💃🏻," Dabrowski commented.
Fernandez was quick to express her gratitude for the kind messages from her fellow players, making sure to thank them all.
Leylah Fernandez expresses gratitude towards her family and coaching team after winning Hong Kong Open title
Following her triumph over Katerina Siniakova in the Hong Kong Open final, Leylah Fernandez extended her gratitude towards her family and coaching team for their unwavering support during challenging times.
"We had a very very hard past couple of years and my family, my parents, my coach, my performance coaches have stayed by my side and they've helped me through those tough times and they motivate me to keep going," Leylah Fernandez said during the presentation ceremony.
The Canadian conveyed her appreciation for everyone who believed in her and expressed satisfaction at her hard work finally paying off.
"And the hardwork is paying off and hopefully we can keep going this way, thank you so much for the belief you have in me. I love you all," she continued.
Fernandez also shared her appreciation for the local fans, thanking them for their support throughout her campaign.
"I want to give a special thank you to the fans. To Hong Kong. Thank you so much for coming and supporting me throughout the week and watching women’s tennis. It means the world to us," she added.