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Leylah Fernandez admits she "did not have a very good season" in 2023 and confessed that at times she was "lost" on the court. Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, finished the 2023 season with a 39-24 record but that's mainly due to a very strong end to the season.
Throughout the first six months of the season, Fernandez was struggling heavily with her consistency and mostly exiting tournaments in the early rounds. “It wasn't a very good season for me. I give myself 4 out of 10 if I can be honest," Fernandez told RDS.
At one point, Fernandez came to the realization that she "lost my identity on the court." “I lost my identity on the tennis court. I wanted to change my tennis, and it didn't help me. I lost a lot in the first and second rounds.
But I'm very lucky to have parents who are honest with me. My father Jorge [also his coach, editor's note] told me that I was lost on the courts, that I didn't seem to be having fun like before," Fernandez said.
Fernandez on her strong end to the 2023 season
After a Wimbledon second-round loss, Fernandez changed some things and started slowly finding the joy and fun in tennis again.
In October, Fernandez made back-to-back strong runs - she won the Hong Kong Open before making the Nanchang semifinal the following week. In November, Fernandez also led Canada to their first Billie Jean King Cup title. “During my training with my father, I began to rediscover the pleasure of playing beautiful tennis.
Not just thinking about hitting the ball hard. Having fun playing volleys, drop shots, slices. I think it showed at the end of the year with a singles title [in Hong Kong, in mid-October]," Fernandez said. Also in the interview, Fernandez revealed that after winning the Billie Jean King Cup title with Canada, she enjoyed some good rest and cool activities before kicking off her preparation for the new season.