"Getting to the end of any tournament isn't easy" - French Open doubles runner-up Leylah Fernandez opens up about emotional toll of being on tour
Leylah Fernandez has already enjoyed incredible success early on in her career. The 20-year-old has already played in the finals of Grand Slams, both singles and doubles, and has been put under the pump on several occasions.
Fernandez recently competed in the women's doubles final of the 2023 French Open with partner Taylor Townsend. The duo lost the match to the Taiwanese-Chinese pair of Hsieh Su-wei and Wang Xinyu, 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1.
The result was particularly astonishing as Fernandez and Townsend hit more winners and won more points than their opponents, but still couldn't win the match.
Fernandez was seen crying after letting another Grand Slam title slip away (she previously lost to Emma Raducanu in the 2021 US Open final), with Townsend trying to pump her up with a pep talk.
The young Canadian opened up about the difficulties and stress of competing consistently at the highest level. In an Instagram post, she talked about the mental and physical toll athletes undertake while playing professionally and the incredible hard work they put in to reach the final of any event.
"What a journey. Doubles have been such a learning and rewarding adventure. Applying skills in a team environment and building trust within a partnership. It’s a beautiful game. Getting to the end of any tournament, singles or doubles, isn't easy," Fernandez wrote.
"It takes resilience in the face of both physical and mental adversity. Being on tour comes with sacrifices; I’ve been homesick while away from my mom and family, and Taylor is away from her son, but to get this far means the world."
Fernandez thanked her team, family, and sponsors for their consistent support and expressed special gratitude towards Townsend for her incredible friendship. She was also grateful for all the fans who cheered her on.
"Thank you to my family, team, and sponsors for their unconditional support and love. @tay_taytownsend thank you for your friendship, teamwork, and giving 120% every day. Beyond tennis, you’re an amazing human."
"Thank you to the #TeyLah fans! Whether you cheered live or tuned in," she added.
Leylah Fernandez said she left Paris with more motivation and hunger to succeed in the singles game and is looking forward to competing in the grass season.
"I am leaving Paris motivated, hungry, and ready to work extra for the singles title. Next stop, grass season."
A look into Leylah Fernandez's form in 2023
Leylah Fernandez began her 2023 WTA Tour at the Auckland Open, reaching the quarterfinal in singles and the final in doubles with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Since then, she has not produced any notable results in singles, with her next best result being a bunch of second-round appearances, including at the French Open. As a result of her underwhelming performances, Fernandez has slipped to World No. 95 in the WTA singles rankings.
However, it has not been all gloom for the Canadian as she found success in the doubles game after partnering with American Taylor Townsend. While they haven't won a title yet, they managed to reach the final of the French Open and the Miami Open (their second tournament together), as well as the semifinals of the Madrid Open.
Leylah Fernandez is now World No. 21 in the WTA doubles ranking, and the duo is currently No. 3 in Live WTA Doubles Race for the 2023 season.