Leylah Fernandez, the 22-year-old Canadian tennis sensation, has long been defined by her remarkable run to the 2021 US Open final, where she fell to Emma Raducanu in a historic all-teen showdown. That moment, at just 19, saw her defeat top-five players like Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, and Aryna Sabalenka, cementing her as a rising star. Yet, the weight of that achievement has lingered, with Fernandez admitting, “I am linked to that US Open final until I achieve another good result.” Her victory at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., on July 27, 2025, marked a pivotal step in shedding that shadow, as she clinched her first WTA 500 title with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over Anna Kalinskaya, proving her mettle against a formidable field and reigniting her career trajectory.
Fernandez’s path to the DC Open title was anything but easy. The unseeded Canadian, ranked No. 36, faced a gauntlet of top players, including a straight-sets upset of No. 1 seed Jessica Pegula in the Round of 16 and a grueling three-hour, 12-minute semifinal battle against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. The Rybakina match, a 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-6(3) epic, showcased Fernandez’s trademark tenacity. Down 5-4 in the second set with Rybakina serving for the match, Fernandez’s relentless returns forced a break, paving the way for her to dominate the decisive tiebreaks. “We’re doing things right,” Fernandez said after the semifinal. “The results are going to come. [I’ll] keep enjoying it, and to not focus too much on results but focus on how my game is improving.”
The final against Kalinskaya, ranked No. 48, was a masterclass in aggressive baseline play. Fernandez’s left-handed game, bolstered by 12 aces and a 10-of-12 success rate on Kalinskaya’s second serves, overwhelmed her opponent in just 70 minutes. Kalinskaya, who had not dropped a set until the final, managed only nine winners against 24 unforced errors. “Amazing fight this week,” Kalinskaya graciously told Fernandez post-match, acknowledging the Canadian’s dominance. Fernandez’s victory, her fourth WTA singles title and first since Hong Kong 2023, propelled her 12 spots to No. 24 in the WTA rankings, marking her return to the top 25 for the first time in over a year.
The DC Open triumph was deeply personal for Fernandez, who has grappled with the expectations set by her 2021 US Open run. “It was mainly my own expectations,” she told reporters, reflecting on the post-2021 struggles. “I played some great tennis in New York—a lot of my balls were going in. At some point, post-2021, I let my guard down a little bit. To be fair, my coach [and father Jorge] had warned me about it, and I was just too naïve at the time to believe him.” Her journey since then has been marked by highs, like her 2022 Roland Garros quarterfinal and Canada’s 2023 Billie Jean King Cup victory, and lows, including a 16-17 record in 2025 and early exits at the French Open and Wimbledon. The DC Open, with its tough draw featuring four top-20 players, offered a chance to silence doubters who labeled her US Open success a fluke. “It definitely helps a little bit,” Fernandez said of the win. “It gives us some good momentum going into bigger tournaments.”
Fernandez’s path to the title included emotionally charged battles, none more so than her quarterfinal against Taylor Townsend, a close friend and former doubles partner. “Taylor was another battle, physically and mentally,” she admitted. “I’ve played doubles with her, and we’re pretty good friends, so setting that aside wasn’t easy. I was cramping, and back in the locker room, I told her, ‘You killed me.’” Her ability to overcome such challenges, including a first-round win over rising star Maya Joint, underscored her resilience. “It’s very satisfying,” Fernandez said of defeating top seeds like Pegula and Rybakina. “It wasn’t an easy tournament from the get-go, so to get through all those tough opponents and challenges was great.”
As Fernandez looks ahead to the Canadian Open in Toronto, where she reached the doubles semifinals in 2024, and the US Open, where she hopes to recapture the magic of 2021, her DC Open victory signals a turning point. “I hope I can continue with that momentum the next few tournaments, but also stay grounded and not forget there’s a new beast every week,” she said, emphasizing her focus on growth over results. With a career-high ranking of No. 13 and a legacy of inspiring Canadian tennis, including leading her nation to its first Billie Jean King Cup title, Fernandez is poised to redefine her narrative, stepping out from the shadow of 2021 with renewed confidence and a champion’s resolve.
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