“Have No Regrets”: Leylah Fernandez’s Father Reveals Real Reason For Not Traveling With Her at US Open 2021

Leylah Fernandez had a phenomenal campaign at the US Open 2021. Even though she couldn’t win the tournament and lost to Emma Raducanu in the finals, the Canadian star displayed some brilliant skills on the court and impressed the fans.

Interestingly, Leylah Fernandez defeated three out of the top five seeded players at the US Open 2021. She also eliminated the defending champion, Naomi Osaka, from the Grand Slam. One notable absentee from Leylah’s camp, however, was her father, Jorge Fernandez.

Leylah Fernandez’s father reveals why he couldn’t come to support his daughter at US Open 2021

In a recent interview with Radio-Canada, Jorge Fernandez, father of Leylah Fernandez, revealed the real reason for skipping the US Open 2021. He mentioned that it was a family decision and he couldn’t choose where to go since both her daughters were playing at different tournaments.

“It was a family decision. My youngest daughter Bianca was competing in a tournament in Spain while Leylah was playing her first matches of the Grand Slam tournament. I didn’t want to make a choice between the two and give my preference to one or the other,” said Jorge in the interview.

Jorge highlighted that he didn’t feel like going to the US Open 2021 even after her younger daughter, Bianca, got eliminated from her tournament because he could do his coaching job from his home. He felt that travelling to New York in the middle of the Grand Slam might disturb her daughter’s routine.

“Why didn’t I accompany Bianca on her way to New York after her elimination in Spain? Because I could do my coaching job from home without disturbing Leylah’s routine,” added the father.

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Jorge Fernandez believes Leylah lost to the better player in the finals of the US Open 2021

In the same interview, Jorge hailed Emma Raducanu for her brilliant performance in the finals of the US Open 2021. He believes that his daughter lost to the better player that day and said that it was a gigantic performance by the British teenager.

“I have no regrets, even though she lost. And I tip my hat to Emma Raducanu because she was the best that day. And if we had to lose, I thought it best to happen against her, a barely 19-year-old qualifier who hasn’t missed a set in 10 games. That was a gigantic performance. I’ll tell you how I felt, seeing this tournament from a distance. And I won’t sugarcoat it,” concluded Jorge.

Leylah Fernandez is currently playing at the Indian Wells 2021 and will face Shelby Rogers in the pre-quarters of the tournament. Will she be able to emerge as the winner of the tournament?

Also Read: Leylah Fernandez Reveals How Separation From Mother Helped Her to Develop ‘Steel-Minded’ Mentality