Leylah Annie Fernandez of Montreal, Quebec, reached the final of the 2024 Eastbourne International on Sunday. She is the second Canadian tennis player to reach the singles final of the Eastbourne International. In 2009, Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ontario, reached the final in the men’s event before losing to Dmitry Tursunov of Russia, 6-3, 7-6.
Fernandez defeated fourth-seeded Madison Keys of the United States 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in Friday’s semifinals. Fernandez won 58% of points on her second serve, while Keys won just 42% of points on her second serve. Fernandez and Keys have something essential in common. They both reached a United States Open final. Fernandez lost to Emma Raducanu of Great Britain 6-4, 6-3 in 2021, and Keys lost to Sloane Stephens of the United States 6-3, 6-0 in 2017.
Keys is one of two seeded players Fernandez has beaten so far at the Eastbourne International. On Monday, she also defeated seventh seed and 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
In the Eastbourne final, Keys will face sixth seed Daria Kasatkina of Russia. Kasatkina is a Grand Slam semifinalist, having reached the semifinals of the French Open in 2022. Fernandez has lost both previous meetings with Kasatkina. The first time was a 6-2, 6-2 loss in the first round of the 2022 San Diego Open and the second time was a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 loss in the second round of the 2022 Italian Open.
This will be Fernandez’s sixth WTA final, having previously won the 2021 and 2022 Monterrey Open in Mexico and the 2023 Hong Kong Open. Once Fernandez finishes in Eastbourne, she will travel to Wimbledon, where she will face Italian Lucia Bronzetti in the first round.
“Gamer. Introvert. Problem solver. Creator. Thinker. Lifelong food evangelist. Alcohol advocate.”