Leylah Fernandez has been honored in her home city of Montreal with a mural that she hopes will inspire aspiring women tennis players in Canada.
For a country that has surprisingly produced a dearth of tennis greats, Fernandez ranks very high on the list of the best Canadian tennis players. She is a former Top 20 player, peaking at a career-high ranking of World No. 13 in August 2022.
She was runner-up at the 2021 all-teenager US Open final. Her sensational run at the tournament saw her defeat three Top 5 players during the fortnight, including the defending champion Naomi Osaka and former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber.
Fernandez's most memorable achievement was steering Canada to win a maiden Billie Jean King Cup title last season. She scored crucial singles wins over experienced players like Magda Linette and Marketa Vondrousova.
She was equally brilliant in doubles when she teamed up with Gabriela Dabrowski and defeated the Grand Slam-winning pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova to reach the final. They beat Italy to the crown. She was named 2023 Canada's Player of the Year.
Fernandez is a three-time champion on the WTA tour and is currently ranked just outside the Top 30 (35th). Her achievements have most certainly gone down in Canadian tennis folklore because she was recently honored with artwork within the Canadian Open practice courts.
The 21-year-old lefty expressed her appreciation for the gesture and her delight on Instagram when Tennis Canada sent her a picture of her mural at the IGA stadium practice courts, which are located on the premises of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal, the city where Fernandez was born.
"Just got sent this photo from the tennis Canada team. A beautiful painting of myself at the IGA Stadium practice courts in Montreal. I couldn’t be more honored! I hope this inspires many young girls to pick up a racket this summer."
"The Final result. I love you Montreal. I can't wait to be back! Nothing beats playing at home."
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