"How did I get myself in this position?" - Leylah Fernandez quips about her "Matrix" style training session ahead of China Open 2024 debut
Leylah Fernandez recently shared pictures from her practice session in Beijing, one of which resembled Keanu Reeves' infamous pose from 'The Matrix'. The Canadian is in Beijing to kick off her campaign at the WTA 1000 event.
Fernandez did not have the best of outings during the North American hard-court swing, which she started with a second-round exit at the Canadian Open. The 22-year-old delivered a stronger performance at the Cincinnati Open, reaching the quarterfinals before being eliminated by eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula. This was followed by successive first-round exits at the Tennis in the Land and the US Open.
Fernandez is now focused on the Asian swing, starting with the China Open. Ahead of her first-round match, the 22-year-old shared a few pictures from her practice session, showcasing various shots. One image, in particular, captured her in an awkward position, which was reminiscent of Keanu Reeves' iconic 'bullet dodge' scene from The Matrix.
"The question is... how did I get myself in the position?" Fernandez wrote.
Fernandez is positioned in the third quarter of the China Open draw, where Jelena Ostapenko and Coco Gauff are the top seeds.
Leylah Fernandez to start her 2024 China Open campaign against Peyton Stearns
Leylah Fernandez will seek a strong start at the China Open as she faces Peyton Stearns in the second round. Her best performance of the season was a runner-up finish at the Rothesay International. Additionally, she reached the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open, Cincinnati Open, and Birmingham Classic.
Meanwhile, Stearns, who has already begun her Asian swing, recently suffered a first-round defeat to Emma Raducanu in a tough match at the Korea Open. She then kicked off her China Open campaign with a straight-set win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Stearns currently holds a season record of 24 wins from 46 matches, including a title-winning run at the Morocco Open.
Fernandez and Stearns have faced each other twice, with their head-to-head record tied at 1-1. Fernandez claimed victory in their most recent encounter at the 2023 Canadian Open.
Last year’s China Open campaign was underwhelming for both Stearns and Fernandez. Stearns suffered a first-round exit, while Fernandez was eliminated in the qualifying round.
The winner between Fernandez and Stearns will either face Hailey Baptiste or 10th-seeded Anna Kalinskaya in the third round of the China Open.