(Indian Wells) Leylah Annie Fernandez’s short story at the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament offers a glimpse into her meteoric rise through the ranks of women’s professional tennis.
Posted at 3:00 p.m.
The 19-year-old Lavalloise will start the 2022 edition of the tournament at the 21and world level, having successfully defended his first WTA title in Monterrey, Mexico.
After benefiting from a bye in the first round which was given to the first 32 ranked players registered (she is 18and seeded), she will begin her journey in the desert this weekend against the winner of the duel between Amanda Anisimova and Emma Navarro. Fernandez also faced Navarro in the final of Roland-Garros among juniors in 2019.
Three years ago this week, the then 16-year-old Quebecer was far from ready to face the best in the world in the California desert.
So ranked 404and in the world, she had just lost in the first qualifying round of a minor tournament in Nishitama, Japan, whose prize pool was $25,000.
Then, two years ago this week, after strong showings at two Mexican tournaments lifted him to 120and world rank, she had received an invitation for the main draw in Indian Wells.
An invitation which she has never been able to take advantage of.
The tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic the day before the start of qualifying matches – the beginnings of a hiatus that would last for five months in 2020 in professional tennis.
Then, exactly a year ago, when the Indian Wells tournament had just been postponed, Fernandez won his first WTA title in Monterrey. However, it happened behind closed doors.
“They had covered the seats with tarpaulins bearing the tournament logo. When I won, there were just a few volunteers and the ball attendants,” Fernandez recalled in an interview earlier this week.
The Indian Wells tournament was introduced in October last year, barely a month after Fernandez reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open.
The Canadian showed up in Indian Wells in the top 30but she had not played since her brilliant performance in New York.
She lost in the third round, thereby ending her season. She is now back in the same place, having accomplished another feat.
Fernandez successfully defended her title in Monterrey last Sunday against a much tougher draw than in 2021. She saved five match points before beating Colombian Camila Osorio 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (5).
And this time, the stands were full.
“It was magical,” agreed Fernandez. Fans, everyone is aware that this sport is like a battlefield. We give everything we have, and we savor the moment.
“Half the stadium took for me, and the other half for her. It felt like a soccer game, and I love it. It was good to feel that energy, to see people enjoying the moment. That’s why we play at this level, because we want everyone to feel that. »
This triumph also allowed him to turn the page on his elimination in the first round of the Australian Open in January, against Australian Maddison Inglis.
“It was just one of those tournaments where everything goes wrong. Every athlete goes through these kinds of streaks. I just had to take a step back and understand what had happened, explained Fernandez. Everything went wrong. Nothing went as planned. »
Fernandez took a few days off, cleared her mind, and returned to training when she was ready.
She briefly considered taking part in the Dubai and Doha tournaments in February, in order to pick up the pace. But in the end, she and her trainer and father Jorge agreed to go with the original plan.
Fernandez begins the Indian Wells tournament in doubles Thursday evening with the French Alizé Cornet.
Expectations will be the same as usual.
“You have to take it one game at a time, and not think about the results,” she said. You have to have fun on the court, and hopefully good things will happen. »