We are thrilled to congratulate former IVLA student, Leylah Fernandez, on her impressive victories at the 2021 U.S. Open! Leylah defeated defending champion Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4 in the third round. She then went on to defeat former world No. 1, Angelique Kerber, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in the fourth round. This win propelled her to achieve her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal on the eve of her 19th birthday. Talk about not one, but two huge wins!
Leylah made her professional debut in 2019 at the Gatineau Challenger where she won the singles tennis title. That same day, she won her first professional doubles title alongside teammate Rebecca Marino. Also in 2019, she became a Junior Grand Slam champion at the French Open. Her father, Jorge, has been her coach for many years, despite never having played tennis himself. She was dropped from a development program due to her small stature, and Jorge stepped in to help her flourish and grow into the incredible athlete that she is today. Together, they have raised her profile to be one of the most talented young athletes in the sport, and one to watch.
During her time at International Virtual Learning Academy, Leylah was ranked the No. 1 junior tennis player in the world. After graduating in 2020, she went on to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as part of Team Canada. We cannot wait to see what else this rising star accomplishes! We are cheering you on and are so proud of you, Leylah!
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