On Friday, 22-year-old standout Leylah Fernandez picked up a massive win over American Taylor Townsend to secure her spot in the Mubadala Citi DC Open ssemifinals.
Following a huge upset over world No. 4 Jessica Pegula on Thursday, Fernandez picked up a straight-set win over Townsend on Friday, just one week after revealing via Instagram that she wants to go on her first date next week in Montreal during the National Bank Open.
After winning a hard-fought first set 6-4, Fernandez appeared to be dealing with cramps in the second. Despite that, she managed to pull out a gutsy win over her former doubles partner, saving a set point en route to a semifinal appearance, and her first three-match win streak of the year.
Below you can see some highlights from the match:
Fernandez will now collide with the winner of today’s Elena Rybakina vs. Magdalena Frech match, which is set to take place on Stadium Court on Friday once play resumes in DC.
Leylah Fernandez Opens DMs In Hopes of Going on First Date
Last week, prior to the start of the Mubadala Citi DC Open, Leylah Fernandez took to Instagram, revealing to fans that she was opening up her DMs in hopes of finding someone to take her on a date in Montreal.
As she explained in the video, however, whoever winds up getting to take her on a date will have to meet her dad first.
After her win over Maya Joint on Monday, the 2021 US Open Finalist gave an update on the situation during her on-court interview, while explaining how the whole situation came about.
“There’ve been a lot of responses. I think the first day, there were maybe over 100 messages. I’ve got a lot of options. My dad point blank asked me if I’d gone on a date yet, and I told him I hadn’t.
“I’ve never really had the time, and no one’s really asked me, which, I don’t know why. He suggested I post a video on Instagram and ‘Have a date in Montreal where you feel at home and you feel comfortable.’”
As she went on to explain, since posting the video, other athletes have reached out to her, explaining that when they were her age they hadn’t been on a date either.
As of Friday, it sounds like Leylah Fernandez is still taking applications.
Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu Are Both One Win Away From US Open Rematch
With her win on Friday, Leylah Fernandez is now one win away from punching her ticket to the Citi Open final.
On the opposite side of the draw, 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu finds herself in a similar position. Following a big win over an in-form Maria Sakkari on Friday morning, Raducanu now finds herself one win away from the final.
While Fernandez will collide with the Rybakina-Frech winner in the semifinals, Raducanu will collide with the winner of the Anna Kalinskaya-Clara Tauson match set to take place on John A. Harris Grandstand later today.
If both players wind up winning their semifinal matches, we could be in for a rematch of the 2021 US Open final.
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