PARIS | Leylah Fernandez’s career at Roland-Garros has already been talked regarding for a few days, so much so that some media are starting to nickname the young Quebecer “Clay-lah”.
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This contraction of the English translation of “clay” and her first name “Leylah” suited her perfectly on Sunday, when she qualified for the quarter-finals in Paris for the first time in her young career.
Combative on this surface which often pushes the players to their limits, the 19-year-old Lavallois delivered another fight in this victory of 6-3, 4-6 and 6-3 at the expense of the American Amanda Anisimova, ranked 27th favourite.
“It was a very difficult match, admitted a slightly tired Leylah at a press conference, following this confrontation of almost 2 hours. But it was an incredible game for both of us. »
As she had done two days before once morest Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic (14), Fernandez started the confrontation aggressively and quickly, she led by two breaks.
The beautiful machine, however, has gradually gone haywire, in particular because of the largesse in the service of the Quebecer. She still managed to pocket the set on her second opportunity.
Anisimova is back in force
This strong end to the set foreshadowed that the 20-year-old American, semi-finalist in Paris three years ago, was not finished with this match.
And as a matter of fact, Anisimova started to walk Leylah from right to left. She landed no less than 18 game winners in that set, leaving Fernandez unanswered.
At least, momentarily. Because as in the third round, the young racket came back in force in the final round. She made the break in the fifth game and never looked back.
“We played at a very high level, noted the 17th favorite, and I am happy to have been able to go through some difficult moments in this meeting to have an additional opportunity to play on the Philippe-Chatrier [où était disputé le match dimanche midi, heure de France.] »
All winners
For her first appearance in the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros among the pros, the champion of the 2019 junior edition will cross swords on Tuesday with a left-hander like her, the Italian Martina Trevisan.
Leylah has never faced the 59th in the world, who at 28, occupies the best rank of her career. Trevisan is one of the many surprises in this women’s table, which only has one player in the top 10: the number 1, the Polish Iga Swiatek.
Fernandez is also the third highest ranked player still in contention. Between Swiatek and her, there is the American Jessica Pegula, 11th seed.
The two girls are at the top of the painting and the Quebecer at the bottom. But despite this hecatomb among the favorites and despite his fine career on the Parisian ochre, “Clay-Lah” refuses to see an opening until the final.
“All the players who find themselves at this stage of the tournament are excellent,” she said. I work very hard, but they too have this winning mentality. »
Happy to have played in front of Thierry Henry
PARIS | There were big visitors in the stands of the Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday, for the round of 16 match between Quebecer Leylah Fernandez and American Amanda Anisimova, at Roland-Garros. Thierry Henry was shown on the giant screen in the middle of the match.
The former French international – and ex-coach of CF Montreal – was also seen applauding, standing up, following the victory of the Lavalloise.
A big soccer fan, Leylah was particularly delighted to see this big name in “football” savoring her performance. She also underlined it during the interview on the ground with the 2013 Wimbledon champion, the Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli.
“I am very happy to have played in front of Thierry Henry! she smiled at the crowd.
“When I saw that he was there and that he was enjoying the match, I was really happy, because it is one of my objectives, that people appreciate my tennis”, she then told at a press conference.
“And to see him give a standing ovation following the game, it was great,” added the 17th seed.
Fernandez did not watch the Champions League final, which took place on Saturday evening Paris time at the Stade de France between Liverpool and Real Madrid.
And it was not lightheartedly: she skipped the meeting because she had to “go to bed early”.
She therefore learned on Sunday morning that Real Madrid, one of her favorite clubs, had won 1-0.
Nadal was there
Unlike the Quebecer, the Spaniard Rafael Nadal was there for the crowning of Real, his team. Images of the fifth favorite being mobbed by fans as he tries to enter the stadium were circulating online on Sunday.
As the Champions League final and Roland-Garros are usually played at the same time, and rarely in the same country, “Rafa” had never had the opportunity to see this ultimate meeting in person.
Even though it was presented at 9 p.m., and the kick-off was delayed by 35 minutes to let the horde of supporters settle (which incidentally led to excesses and a hundred arrests), Nadal also said to have gone to bed quite early.
At least, enough to sign a victory in five rounds once morest Félix Auger-Aliassime at the start of the evening.
“Given the late hour, I didn’t stay for the celebrations,” lamented the winner of 13 Roland-Garros titles.
