Leylah Fernandez, Canada’s tennis darling and the 2021 US Open finalist, sent shockwaves through the tennis world with her candid critique of the WTA’s scheduling practices following a disheartening first-round exit at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal. Fresh off her career-defining victory at the WTA 500 Citi Open in Washington, D.C., where she clinched her fourth career title on July 27, 2025, Fernandez faced a grueling 48-hour turnaround before her opening match against Australia’s Maya Joint. The result was a lopsided 6-4, 6-1 defeat in just 75 minutes, leaving Fernandez visibly drained and frustrated. “I received a lot of promises from scheduling about giving me maybe the night match, and I did not receive that,” she said, her voice tinged with disappointment. “That hurt me because I was very looking forward to be playing at night, but I guess it’s a little bit political issues at that point.”
Fernandez’s Washington triumph was a high point, as she dominated top players like Jessica Pegula, Taylor Townsend, and Elena Rybakina before dispatching Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in the final. The victory, her first WTA 500 title, propelled her to No. 24 in the WTA rankings and fueled expectations for a deep run at her home tournament. However, the punishing schedule—exacerbated by travel from D.C. to Montreal, arriving in the early hours of Monday—left her flat. “It felt great being on court, hearing the fans and feeling their support. It was awesome,” Fernandez said, her appreciation for the Montreal crowd overshadowed by her performance. “I’m just disappointed with my level of play, and it wasn’t fair for them. I mean, it was a very, very low level.”
The scheduling saga began when Fernandez was promised a Tuesday night slot to allow extra recovery time, a commitment tournament director Valerie Tetreault fought for but couldn’t secure. “I didn’t win my fight,” Tetreault admitted, explaining her efforts to sway the WTA, which holds ultimate scheduling authority. “I received the request for her to play in the evening. It’s my role to have conversations with the WTA, so I pushed as much as possible for her to have what she wanted.” WTA protocols, which mandate completing first-round matches before second-round play to ensure fairness, limited flexibility. Fernandez’s match was already set in the latest possible first-round slot, as her half of the draw began Sunday, but she arrived in Montreal only after her Sunday final. Tennis Canada defended the decision, stating, “Given Leylah won the title in Washington on Sunday, she was not able to arrive in Montreal until the early hours of Monday morning.”
The controversy has reignited broader discussions about the WTA’s demanding calendar, especially during the North American hard-court swing leading to the US Open. Fernandez’s loss, where she converted only 49% of first-serve points and faced six break points, highlighted the physical toll of rapid turnarounds. Fans on social media echoed her frustration, with one posting, “If the WTA wants players to keep up this crazy schedule, they need to figure out ways to reward the winner of the prior week’s tournament.” Another criticized the optics: “The home player, fresh off a championship, was rejected for a headline position in preference to others, less fatigued.” The night session slot went to top seed Coco Gauff, who battled past Danielle Collins in a three-set thriller, underscoring the WTA’s preference for marquee matchups.
Fernandez’s plight resonates with players like Carlos Alcaraz, who recently withdrew from the Canadian Open to prioritize recovery, citing tennis’s “demanding” nature. The 22-year-old, also competing in doubles with her sister Bianca Jolie Fernandez, where they fell to Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani, remains a beacon of Canadian tennis. Her 2023 Billie Jean King Cup heroics, leading Canada to its first title, and her four WTA singles titles—Monterrey (2021, 2022), Hong Kong (2023), and Washington (2025)—cement her as a star. Yet, her Montreal experience raises questions about player welfare. “It’s not about preferential treatment,” one analyst noted. “It’s about fundamental justice: a championship run, cross-country travel, and little turnaround.” As Fernandez prepares for Cincinnati and the US Open, her call for scheduling reform highlights a critical issue, urging the WTA to balance fairness with the well-being of its greatest asset—its players.
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