The tennis world erupted in celebration as Canada’s Leylah Fernandez delivered a commanding performance to claim the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open title, her first WTA 500 trophy and fourth career singles crown. The 22-year-old from Laval, Quebec, stormed through the final in Washington, D.C., defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in a swift 1 hour and 9 minutes, showcasing her relentless drive and pinpoint precision. The victory, Fernandez’s most significant to date, sparked an outpouring of admiration from peers like Coco Gauff, the Bryan brothers, and fans across the globe, cementing her status as a rising force on the WTA tour.
Fernandez’s path to the title was nothing short of spectacular. Entering the tournament ranked No. 36, she navigated a challenging draw with poise, ousting rising star Maya Joint in the first round and toppling top seed Jessica Pegula in a thrilling 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 upset in the Round of 16. Her semi-final clash against No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina was a three-hour, 12-minute epic, with Fernandez battling back from a set and 5-4 down to win 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-6(3). Reflecting on her resilience, Fernandez recalled a childhood anecdote: “When I first started playing tennis, there was like a mini camp and they were doing a physical test, kind of a straight-line sprint. I was probably the slowest out of all of the girls there. The coaches were concerned… but my parents said, ‘Yeah, but if you put a tennis ball in front of her and you ask her to run for every ball, she’s gonna do it.’” Her heart and belief, symbolized by her water bottle emblazoned with “hard work” and “fight,” carried her through the grueling match.
In the final, Fernandez was untouchable, breaking Kalinskaya early and maintaining control with her aggressive left-handed game. “The match was very solid from my part,” she said in her post-match press conference. “I was very happy the way that I held my nerves. I was definitely very nervous in the beginning, but I got to play my game in the important points and kind of push through those nerves, so I was super happy about that.” Her performance earned her 500 ranking points and $142,000, boosting her to No. 24 in the WTA rankings and marking her first final since Eastbourne in June 2024.
The tennis community was quick to celebrate. Coco Gauff, the 2023 Citi DC Open champion, took to Instagram, writing, “Great win,” alongside a fire emoji, a nod to their shared history as fierce competitors and United Cup teammates. In their first singles meeting at the 2024 United Cup, Gauff had defeated Fernandez 6-3, 6-2, praising her opponent’s crafty angles: “I knew I was going to have to run a lot. Leylah can hit some crazy angles, so I was just trying my best to hit the best possible shot on them.” The Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, four-time Citi DC Open doubles champions, also joined the chorus of praise, with Bob posting, “What a performance! Congrats Leylah!” Their endorsement underscored Fernandez’s growing stature, as the Bryans hold the record for most men’s doubles titles at the event.
Other players, including Camila Osorio and Taylor Townsend, showered Fernandez with accolades. Townsend, who faced Fernandez in the quarter-finals and clinched the doubles World No. 1 ranking at the event, called her “an inspiration.” Fernandez’s emotional Instagram post after the final resonated deeply, as she dedicated the win to her family and team. “Thank you so much for never giving up on me,” she said in her speech, her voice thick with emotion, a moment shared widely by Tennis Channel. Fans echoed the sentiment, with one social media post declaring, “Leylah wins the biggest title of her career. And with how she’s played this week, she absolutely deserves it.”
The victory marks a turning point for Fernandez, whose 2025 season began with a third-round Australian Open loss to Gauff and a first-round French Open exit. Her Citi DC Open triumph, her fourth hard-court title, signals a resurgence as she heads to the Canadian Open in Montreal to face Australia’s Maya Joint again. “Bring on the hard court US Open swing,” Fernandez had posted after her first-round win, a prophecy fulfilled by her Washington dominance. With a career that includes a 2021 US Open final run and a Billie Jean King Cup title in 2023, Fernandez is proving she’s ready to challenge the elite.
As the US Open looms, Fernandez’s performance has reignited excitement about her potential to reclaim a top-10 ranking. Her ability to dispatch top players like Pegula and Rybakina, combined with her mental toughness, has the tennis world buzzing. With Gauff, the Bryan brothers, and fans rallying behind her, Fernandez’s Washington triumph is not just a title—it’s a statement that Canada’s tennis star is back and hungrier than ever.
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