Leylah Fernandez comes from behind to win third career pro title

Leylah Fernandez is a champion once again.

On Sunday, the 21-year-old Canadian came out victorious at the 2023 Hong Kong Open, taking down Katerina Siniakova 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the final to claim the win.

It’s Fernandez’s third career title on the WTA circuit, and her first since winning the Monterrey Open in Mexico in March 2022.

“We had a very, very hard past couple of years,” Leylah Fernandez said post-match, via the WTA. “My family, my parents, my coach, and my performance coach stayed by my side. They motivated me to keep going and the hard work is paying off. Hopefully, we can keep going this way.”

Fernandez shot to international fame in 2021, when she earned a spot in the US Open Final at the age of 19, falling to Emma Radacanu in the championship match.

“Dreams transformed into reality through hard work and dedication. This victory is not just mine, but a shared triumph with each of you who stood by me,” Fernandez wrote on Instagram following the match. “Your unwavering support fueled every point on the court. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

With Sunday’s win, Fernandez will vault back into the WTA top 50 once again, as she’s currently ranked No. 60. Her career high ranking is No. 13.

Fernandez defeated Victoria Azarenka, Mirra Andreeva, Linda Fruhvirtova, and Anna Blinkova to earn the berth against Siniakova in the final.

She wasn’t the only Canadian celebrating this weekend, however. On the women’s doubles side, Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe (from New Zealand) won the  Zhengzhou Open with a 6-2, 6-4 straight sets win over Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Diallo won the ATP Challenger Tour Bratislava Open with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Joris De Loore.

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