Leylah Fernandez (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Canadian professional tennis player Leylah Fernandez returned to Montreal, September 14, bringing home a life-changing prize of $1.25-million US as the runner-up to British 18-year-old Emma Raducanu during the Grand Slam final at the 2021 US Open on September 11.

She made history at the U.S. Open tennis championship when she became only the second Canadian woman ever to make it to the final. The five-feet-four-inch-tall, 19-year-old Fernandez became a fan favourite due to her unexpected success. She defeated four seeded players along the way, including defending champion Naomi Osaka. Fernandez has charmed not only tennis fans internationally, but she has also captivated everyone around the world with her humility, poise, and maturity.

Leylah Annie Fernandez was born in Montreal on September 6, 2002. She is of mixed descent. Her father and coach, Jorge Fernandez, is from Ecuador and her mother, Irene Fernandez, is a Filipino-Canadian. Her father, a former professional soccer player, coached Fernandez throughout her career. She has a younger sister, Bianca Jolie, also a tennis player.