MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 24, 2025

Leylah Fernandez

Quick Quotes

L. FERNANDEZ/J. Pegula

6-3, 1-6, 7-5

Q. You know who you're playing next, yes?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yes.

Q. What's that like playing someone you are so close with, you were doubles partners for such a long time, and now here you are playing singles?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: It's going to be a tough battle, not only tennis-wise but also mentally and emotionally. I think it's just a game. It's the competition.

So I'm just glad we are both in the quarterfinals, and I just have to focus on my own game, see what I need to do, what's the game plan, and try to execute it as much as possible.

Q. How pleased are you with your performance today? A pretty formidable opponent you were ultimately able to pull it out.

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yes, very pleased with how I played, how I competed. That's the most important thing. There was definitely a moment where the momentum changed, and I think I was getting a little too frustrated.

So not only the crowd was there but also my coach and (indiscernible) was there to kind of keep me positive, especially in the third set. I'm just glad that worked out, and we just gotta keep going with this good groove.

Q. It's a small sample size, only two matches this week, but do you feel there is something sustainable here going into tomorrow?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I hope so. I have been training well, been playing well, competed well every day. I'm improving. I think there has been some good momentum coming into tomorrow's game.

But as we all know, in competition and in life, the next day is a new day with new challenges up ahead. Can't take it for granted. Just have to keep doing our job as best as we can.

Q. Today was a longer match, over two hours. How do you feel as the match gets longer? Do you feel you get better along with it, the physicality on your side and things like that?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I'd like to think so. We have been training and working a lot on the fitness side for the longest time, since I first started playing tennis and decided to be in competition.

We knew I wasn't going to be maybe the strongest player, but if I can be physically and mentally strong, I know I can outlast a lot of players. You know, here in the pros, the WTA, it's a little hard, because everyone has that same mentality, and they have worked extremely hard too. I'm just happy that the body held up and that all the hard work from the years before is paying off right now.

Q. You mentioned the momentum shift. She came back to win the second set. What adjustments did you make tactically to get back and ultimately get the win?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: It wasn't really tactically. I mean, Jessie, she kind of took advantage of the points, so some double faults, I think I did an average of two double faults per game, so that didn't really help. Second serve, she just took advantage.

She was, like, a dog and a bone, I would say. I mean, it's sports, so she saw an opening, she went for it, and I started kind of pushing the ball, not being as aggressive or offensive as I was in the first set and in the beginning of the second.

At the end of the second set, my dad just told me, my coach just told me, to let a couple ones go, you're already using it, so I was just glad I was able to do that.

The third set, I was able to kind of change my mentality into a more positive mindset.

Q. This tournament has been featured a lot for Venus Williams coming back. What are your earliest memories of Venus?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: She's been a huge impact not only for myself but for my whole family. Her story has a little bit of a parallel with mine and my dad and my mom, so it's so cool to see a legend still playing, still doing what she loves.

It's not kind of to prove people wrong but it's because she truly loves the sport, and you can see the kid in her. I love that. I love that, because sometimes we forget that we started playing this sport as a kid with joy and passion. We think of it more as a job, and we lose that joy.

But Venus, she reminded me that tennis is a privilege, that tennis is a sport where you have fun, you get down and you get back up, and you're still laughing, if you lose a point or when you win the point and you kind of just compete that way.

Q. How are your (indiscernible) right now?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: They have been pretty full, but no, I have definitely found a date, yeah. There it is. Everybody knows that.

Q. Here in Washington, D.C. maybe?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I mean, in D.C. we did think about having a date in D.C. but it was a little too early. We were just coming in for the tournament, and then, you know, there wasn't much time between matches and practices, so that's why we decided on Montreal. Maybe next year or as the week goes on. We'll see.

Q. What made you want to share that, the whole lack of dating experience?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Well, I mean, I think, one, a lot of people think I'm very focused in tennis, and I am. I am very focused in tennis. Sometimes they think, okay, I can't approach her and ask her out, and it doesn't help that also my dad doesn't look that welcoming.

He's very welcoming. Don't get me wrong. He's very welcoming. He's funny to be around with, but the initial, like, picture of him is not that great.

So I feel like sometimes I kind of had to do the first step, like, Guys, I want to experience this. Help me out a little bit. So yeah. (Laughter.)