LONDON | The Fernandez clan thought they did found the rare pearl in Julian Alonso, the manager who was hired as an advisor to Leylah at the end of last season. But “at the moment I’m not working with Julian,” confirmed the young player after her win in the first round at Wimbledon on Monday.
Her father Jorge, who has been at her side in an advisory capacity for years, will therefore become her main coach again. However, the 20-year-old will be touring the planet solo for the most part in the coming weeks.
Photo: AFP
“We decided that it would be good for me to be able to travel alone to several tournaments so I can improve as a player but also as a person,” explained the 95th to the world.
Already a regular
Leylah is already used to it. When she reached the final of the US Open two years ago, her father was not with her but supported her from a distance.
Not wanting to stave off fate, Jorge Fernandez hadn’t even moved before the final in Flushing Meadows.
The Quebecer was also without her amazing advisor when she won the first WTA title of her career in Monterrey in 2021.
But for once, Mr. Fernandez, who is also supporting his youngest daughter, is present in London.
A family outing
Bianca, also a tennis player (ranked 683), is enjoying a week off which is why several family members have made the trip to Wimbledon where Leylah meets France’s Caroline Garcia in the second round.
And Jorge Fernandez is also very present: On Monday, on the Kleinfeld 14, where his protégé was measured against the Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl – who defeated her 6: 4, 4: 6 and 6: 4 – he was again in charge guided daughter on the field and, in particular, in Spanish, asks her to jump more or slow down the pace (coaching on the field is allowed under certain conditions).
“You don’t always like my food”
Fernandez also says she has “a lot of friends in England” who came to see her perform. That’s why she was “alone at the All England Club, but not too alone,” she laughed.
“I’m far from home but like home!” she added.
Speaking of the house, this is what the family rented for those two weeks in London instead of putting everyone in the hotel.
And who cooks there? “I make my lunch, but then I let other people do it…because they don’t always like my food,” laughed Leylah.
▶ No fewer than five Canadians were expected to compete in singles at Wimbledon on Tuesday, including Milos Raonic, Bianca Andreescu, Rebecca Marino, Carol Zhao and Denis Shapovalov, whose match, which began Monday, had already been postponed due to darkness. But the rain that fell on the All England team throughout the day on Tuesday forced them to postpone their performance on Wednesday.