Fernandez Expresses Disappointment at National Bank Open
MONTREAL – In a disappointing turn of events at the National Bank Open, Canadian tennis player Leylah Fernandez expressed her dissatisfaction with the tournament’s scheduling following her first-round exit on Tuesday. Fernandez faced a swift defeat, losing 6-4, 6-1 to Australia’s Maya Joint in a match that lasted only 75 minutes. Just two days earlier, the 24th-ranked player celebrated her fourth WTA title in Washington, D.C., and had anticipated a more favorable timeline for recovery prior to her next match in her home city.
Scheduling Issues and Frustration
Fernandez noted that she had been assured she would be featured in the evening session on Tuesday, which would have afforded her additional time to recuperate after her victory in Washington. However, she learned while en route to Montreal that her match scheduling had changed, leaving her frustrated.
“I did not receive that,” Fernandez stated. “That hurt me because I was very much looking forward to playing at night, but I guess it’s a little bit of political issues at that point.”
In contrast, Coco Gauff, the tournament’s top seed, faced off against fellow American Danielle Collins to kick off the night matches, leaving Fernandez’s expectations unmet. Valerie Tetreault, director of the National Bank Open, remarked that while she had attempted to advocate for Fernandez’s requests, the ultimate decision regarding match slots fell under the jurisdiction of the WTA Tour. Tetreault elaborated,
“I received the request for her to play in the evening. It’s my role to have conversations with the WTA, so I pushed as much as possible for her to have what she wanted. However, I didn’t win my fight.”
Clarification on Scheduling Protocols
Despite ongoing discussions, Tetreault reminded that exceptions for betting on Fernandez had already been applied, given her status as a notable player and the 2021 US Open finalist. This year’s tournament saw Fernandez and Joint partake in one of the last first-round matches to take place, despite other players’ halves commencing as early as Sunday.
Tennis Canada clarified the scheduling protocols, stating,
“WTA regulations mandate that all first-round matches must be concluded before the commencement of the second round, ensuring equitable treatment for all competitors. Due to Leylah’s victory in Washington, she couldn’t arrive in Montreal until the early hours of Monday, prompting the WTA’s choice to schedule her match in the latest available time slot.”
Other Tournament Updates
In other news from the tournament, No. 4 seed Mirra Andreeva progressed to the third round after Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, withdrew due to an ankle injury sustained during her first-round match. Additionally, No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini suffered an upset defeat against Japan’s Aoi Ito in a tense third-set tiebreaker, while No. 8 seed Emma Navarro triumphed over Rebecca Marino with a decisive score of 6-1, 6-2.
