MUBADALA DC OPEN

July 25, 2026

Leylah Fernandez

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Leylah, welcome back to D.C. How are you feeling ahead of the tournament start?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I'm feeling good, excited. Happy to be back in D.C. There are so many good memories, and hopefully I can continue with some good vibes here and enjoy my time on court.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. When you think back to your run here last year, what stands out as the sort of memory or feeling?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I think the biggest thing that stands out is the volunteers, how much they brought so much positive energy, joy, like seeing us showing up and playing.

And then, of course, the fans. They were incredible last year. Walking here to the player lounge, I see a lot of kids, families smiling, doing activities. It's just kind of a nice family tournament, and that's the one thing that stands out in D.C., that it's a family tournament.

Q. I'm wondering, when you return as the defending champion, it's a year ago, it's 12 months ago, can you draw on the success that you had here? Do you think back to those memories, or is it far removed and it's a clean slate?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I definitely think back on those memories, on those feelings, the positive feelings, the fight, the energy that the crowd brought. So you know, I try to use that to my advantage and try to go back into that state, and hopefully I can reproduce that here.

But I do know that one year is a long time, so a lot can change. I'm just going to try to go out there with the mindset of figuring things out and enjoy my time competing in D.C. where I've had some good success here.

Q. When you arrived last year, you spoke openly or candid. You'd had, you could say, a little bit of a rough stretch leading into it, and it turned around for you here. Can you draw on that? Is it a little similar how you're coming in this year now?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yeah, it's definitely similar. It's tough when the beginning of the season doesn't go the way that you want it to go, but I try to kind of take it day by day and enjoy the process, the hard work, the hours on court, trying to find the positives in things.

For myself here this year, it's just to take it one match at a time, and you know, hopefully the results will come in D.C. and the tennis and my tactics can all work in my favor.

Q. Quickly on a lighter note here, are we returning to Shake Shack this year? Is that in the cards?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: 100% it is, it is in the cards. Just last night I returned to one Mexican restaurant, Mi Vida, and it was great. I remember eating there last year, and I absolutely loved it.

This year there's definitely an Italian restaurant that I'm going to go back to probably tonight. Then the next few days maybe Shake Shack. I'm not sure, but it depends how the body reacts, but Shake Shack, it will be in the menu.

Q. A year ago this was Venus Williams' comeback tournament, and you've spent a lot of time with her in the last year. I'm wondering what that's been like for you to get to spend time on court and maybe a little often court with Venus?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: It's been super fun. Venus has definitely a welcoming aura where she always wants to support and help as much as possible.

I always see her or her husband or someone from her team sometimes watching my matches. At the end of my matches, they would send me a message either congratulating me or, like, telling me to keep my head up. That definitely helps in those tough moments, in those good moments to keep going because I know she's gone through those wins and losses, and she's always found a way to bounce back.

So it motivates me. It encourages me, and it definitely kind of brings me back to why I play tennis. It's more like I just want to enjoy my time on court, just the same way that she's doing right now playing tennis and competing and winning matches. I always see her smiling, so it's always nice.

Q. Do you think you two might run it back at all this summer, or is maybe her sister now plan A for her? I don't know?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I don't know what's the plan. I've been taking it one tournament at a time, so we'll see. We'll see what's in the cards for us, but it would be cool to run it back with her.

If it does happen, it will be fun. If it doesn't happen, I'll always wish her the best of luck, and I'm sure she'll do the same for me.

Q. So the switch from grass to hard court, how much do you enjoy that? What did you do to get ready for this tournament, given especially that you're the defending champion?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I mean, the switch from grass to hard court I would say was a little bit easier because, you know, we go from super fast on grass to a little bit slower on hard. It's also the surface where I grew up, so it's kind of enjoyable, fun, easier transition.

I've just been training a lot the past few weeks. A lot of fitness, a lot of beach work, a lot of hours on court. Kind of like a mini preseason kind of compacted in a week and a half.

Q. I noticed a lot of the players took a mini-break after Wimbledon. Did you have a few days, and what did you do, if you did?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I did have a couple of days. I actually went to Montreal to visit my boyfriend for a couple of days and then went to New York for a couple of sponsor, I'd say, photo shoots and media, so it was kind of fun.

It was like a good little break from tennis, but I continued with my fitness. It was great. I didn't really lose too much hours or didn't get out of shape too much. Then when I got back on court, we were back on court for five hours, so it was good.

Q. Remembering your win last year, what do you remember worked for you that you may hope to implement again this year?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I think the biggest thing that worked for me was just a lot of acceptance and enjoying my time on court. I mean, it was hot, humid. A lot of players were coming in in good form. So, you know, the points won and the points lost that would go my way, I would just accept it quickly and then enjoy the competition.

If I go out there with the right attitude, it goes well. So hopefully I can do that and recreate that this year.

Q. I just wanted to follow up and ask you about playing with Venus. Eala is going to play with her for the first time. I'm wondering, when you played with her, thinking back to New York, for the first time, do you have thoughts in advance of what it might be like to play with Venus? What do you know now that maybe you didn't know a year ago about playing with her?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I mean, it's tough, because I knew how competitive she was and how much she loves winning and hates losing. So, you know, I knew about that, and I knew, like, I was stressed, I was nervous.

What I didn't know is how good she was to calm me down. It was kind of just a simple question of, How are you, like just starting a conversation. She made it seem like it was just another day, another practice, going on court to play, to enjoy. Then during changeovers, it would be we wouldn't talk too much tactic, but more intentions.

So it was interesting to see, like, that mindset, that champion's mindset, legend, where they don't overthink too much, but they trust themselves enough to say, yeah, if I hit down the line with the right intention, the ball is going to go in. There's no doubt about that. Even if they miss, the next one is going to go in.

So it was pretty cool to experience that over the last year during the tournament, and then this year seeing her off court, it hasn't changed. I'm pretty sure that's how she was when she was younger, too, when she first started on tour. So it was fun.