US OPEN

August 26, 2022

Leylah Fernandez

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Leylah, your thoughts on this year's US Open.

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Well, this year's US Open is just going to be fun, it's going to be exciting. I'm super happy to be back here. Hopefully I can play in front of a great New York crowd and they can be as electric as they were last year this year.

Yeah...

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your initial impressions of the grounds? Are you getting recognized more? How have things changed from last year?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I think my initial thoughts here when I first got here was, Wow, it's so big. I just felt like a little kid once again in its own playground trying to find its way, go to courts. I was having so much fun.

Like I said, I'm just going to enjoy my time here and hopefully we can go for a full two weeks, but we're just going to take it one match at a time.

Q. How pleased are you with the way you have performed over the past 12 months and dealt with the extra attention?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I'm happy with the way that I've been performing. It's not, like, what I've imagined obviously. I thought everything was going to be perfect. At the same time I knew there were going to be a few bumps in the road and I was just going to have to find solutions, go through those tough moments.

I think it was a great learning experience to not only learn about my tennis game, which I'm constantly doing, but also learn about myself, like what are things that I enjoy doing, what are the things that has helped me in those moments, trying to keep getting better and better as a person and enjoying my time on tour.

Q. One of the big story lines here this week, Serena Williams. What words come to mind for you when you think of her? What impact has she had on you as a player?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: She's an icon. She's a legend. Those are, like, the first few words that come to mind when I think about her.

She has done so much for the sport, not only for tennis players, but for women in general. She's fought for us. She's done incredible things. It's a little sad to see her leave the sport.

But she's set out a good path for all of the WTA players, even the ATP players, to reach their own goals, voice their thoughts, keep fighting for what they believe in. I think it's a great way to leave the sport.

She's just a legend.

Q. Wondering whether you and Emma have spoken recently, maybe even in these days since arriving here, over the past year, had a chance to chat about what went on in New York a year ago?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I think it's funny because we do run into each other a few times, but we don't talk about New York. I think we both have the same mindset, that we want to think about the present and not about the past.

We know, like, New York happened. It was so much fun, but we're so focused on the tournament that's happening, our own training, that we're happy to see each other, we're happy that we are both doing well. We just wish the best for each other.

Hopefully we can keep going and keep improving every single day.

Q. I'm curious in terms of talking about the Williamses. Obviously your sister plays, coached by your father. Easy thought that you guys looked over to them as a template, but in terms of their effect on allowing players to chart a path that was outside of the conventional norm of academies, that sort of thing, what do you think is that impact? How have you been impacted by that? Do you see that on the tour, that it's more and more accepted to do that?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I think when I was growing up, I was training a lot with my dad. It was mostly like a family thing. We've been said that it's not going to work. It's not only going to destroy the father-daughter bond, but also the coach and athlete bond.

But I think we found a good way to communicate, to talk, to keep going. When they saw that, like, when they saw that, they've accepted a lot more. They're like, Oh, it does work.

You just need to be able to go through those tough moments, to get through the storm, get through that storm, and then in the end of the day you're able to improve.

I can't say going to an academy, do it as a family thing, is the right way because so many players have different paths. Some went to college, and then they're here in top 30, top 20, won slams.

I can't say which one is the right path. I can just say each is their own. Each has their own trajectory. I think if we can overcome these difficulties, because we all do, it's a win for everyone.

Q. Did the Williams sisters and their family, were they someone that your family and your father looked towards as a blueprint of how to make it in the sport?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yeah, yeah. I would say so. My dad did his homework with all the fathers who have helped the WTA and ATP players. He was kind of looking into the Maria Sharapova's dad, also Andre Agassi's dad, Pete Sampras' story, too.

We've kind of looked into it. We kind of learned what they did. We tried to replicate it, but in our own way. When we see that their families are successful and that they've done great things, it kind of motivated us to do the same, knowing that it's not going to be easy because we had to go through difficulties. That's not going to change.

Q. You mentioned you don't speak with Emma about what happened last year. From your own perspective, what is the lesson and the message of the two of you making it to the finals last year? How does it carry over for you and other players?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I think the message is nothing is impossible and dreams do come true. I think doing it here in New York was even greater because New York is where all dreams do come true, where you feel like big things happen.

I think that's, like, a message for everybody, that it doesn't matter what people say, it doesn't matter the situation that's happening. But if they can get through that little hump, keep working, keep being resilient, keep pushing through, I feel like dreams come true one way or another.

That's, like, a perfect story for the both of us. We've had different paths, but we've been through difficulties together. We've achieved our own dreams, our own goals.

Q. I think you could face Serena fourth round or third round. What would that be like? Where is your game now from one year ago?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Wow, I haven't seen the draw, so I didn't know that she was in my bracket. But I think I'm just so excited, like, knowing that I may potentially meet Serena here in New York. It could be a dream come true for me.

You always dream to play against the legends, the greatest of all time players that you've admired for so long. You always wanted to do that. It doesn't matter the result, but you feel like you want to have that time with her on court, not just in practice, but in competition.

Other than that, like, my game? I think it has improved a lot. We've always tried to improve my game every year, see what I can work on, see what I need to get better at because we seek perfection, knowing that's not going to happen.

But if we can have that mindset to get to that perfection, get to, like, the perfect game, I think it's just going to push us even more to get better.

Q. (No microphone.)

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: My coach looks at the draw. He tells me briefly who is my first round. I don't look at the potentials, like who is going to be my next round. I try to focus on one match at a time, which is my first round at the moment.

Q. I saw you on social media being very happy about being on the picture on a racquet. Can you tell me what this represent for you? Was it something you were looking up to when you were small, like a kid?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yes, it's a huge honor to be in the little postcard with not only Felix and Alcaraz, the next up-and-coming, but also Nadal. I've seen all the racquets, all the pictures on the racquet, and I was always dreaming like, One day I want to be there with him, kind of be there side-by-side. That dream did come true.

It's just so beautiful. Like, I was so happy. I think knowing that that dream did come true, hopefully kids can look at that postcard and see those players, and they get motivated to keep going. Maybe one day they can envision themselves in that picture.

Q. Obviously, you played amazing last year for several reasons. There's now a discussion ongoing about the balls used in the women's game. Was there a small advantage for you last year? Did this play a role or not at all? What is your opinion on that in general?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: You know, I can't control what balls we decide to play. Of course, I want to play with the same balls as everybody. Like, there's a reason for that to happen. I can't make that decision for the tournament. I can just give my opinion.

Right now I'm just happy that we have a tennis ball, that we can hit a tennis ball (laughter). We got a tennis ball to hit with, so that's great. I remember years ago where I couldn't even get a tennis ball, so I had to play with one of those little colored balls or with the ping-pong ball against the wall.

It's something that I don't think about. We have always tried to think, I got a racquet, I got a tennis ball, we got a court and a net. That's all we need to play competition, that's all we need to put on a show for everybody, and we're just going to enjoy our time.

Q. Serena is saying this is her last year. How did she inspire you in terms of your career? What do you look forward to most?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Serena, I think she has inspired everybody. It doesn't matter who you are, you know who Serena is. You know the great things that she's done.

What they did, like, for me, she showed me how to be strong, how to be independent, how to fight for what you believe in, fight for your dreams.

Seeing that she's been doing that since the very beginning of her career, and even now she's still doing it, it's so inspiring. It motivates me more to do that. Hopefully I can achieve a quarter of her career. She's a legend. She's an icon. I'm just sad that she has to leave the sport.