Leylah Annie Fernandez's Parents: When Her Father Became Her Coach, He Knew Nothing about Tennis

Leylah Annie Fernandez's parents have always supported her as she decided to become a tennis player. Her father took his support for her a step further, becoming her coach even though he knew nothing about the sport.

Leylah Annie Fernandez was born in Montreal, Canada, on September 6, 2002. She began playing tennis at age five, and despite some discouragements along the way, she persevered.

With her parents' support, Leylah Annie Fernandez reached a career-high in August 2022 when she ranked #13 according to the Women's Tennis Association rankings. She has constantly proven how good she is and is taking Canadian tennis to the world.

Fernandez's Father Was Her Tennis Coach, Even Though He Didn't Know Much about the Sport

Like other Canadian tennis players who have made their marks in the US, Leylah also made her mark when she beat Naomi Osaka at the US Open in September 2021.

She has become one of the Canadian elite players with the support of her parents. Her father, Jorge Fernandez, is an Ecuadorian who moved to Canada as a child. Her mother, Irene née Exevea, is from Canada but of Filipino descent.

Jorge was a semi-professional footballer who played football in local leagues in Latin America. During Leylah's formative years, she showed an interest in sports, including soccer which her father played.

When she set her focus entirely on tennis, she had many people tell her to quit. In addition, the Quebec-based development program she was a part of dropped her because of her size.

However, she loved the sport and decided to go ahead to play. Her decision led her father to step in and coach her, although he knew nothing about the game.

Jorge has become a great coach because he admitted to not knowing anything and sought knowledge that has helped him. In addition, he has a great relationship with his daughter and knows he would do anything to see her succeed.

He read books, watched videos, and used his experience as a former athlete to his advantage. Despite their challenges, he always stood by his daughter's decisions.

In an interview, Jorge spoke about what it meant to represent Canada even though they were an immigrant family. In the emotional video, he said:

"We're an immigrant family, and we had nothing. And I didn't want nothing."

He further went on to reveal how grateful he was that Canada opened their doors, giving him life opportunities that he could now pass on to his daughter.

Fernandez Calls Her Mother One of the Women Who Made the "Biggest Impact" on Her Life

Leylah's mother, Irene, also supported her in the early days after she picked an interest in sports. Nevertheless, when she played at home as a child, her mother got worried whenever the ball would hit the wall.

But Leylah knew her mother would always be there for her. For the tennis player, her mother's presence made her feel calm. Irene also had an encouraging manner, different from her husband's aggressive coaching style.

At some point, Leylah's mother had to separate from the family because of distance. Irene moved to the US after she got a job since her husband was coaching their children.

Leylah revealed that her mother's decision also made her stronger. It was initially difficult to accept being apart, but it motivated her to work hard so their family would never have to live apart again.

After years apart, Jorge decided to relocate to the US with the family so they could all be together. Leylah remarked that she was grateful for her life's journey and her parents' sacrifices.

On International Women's Day in 2021, Leylah posted a picture of her family and revealed in her caption that her mother had made one of the most significant impacts on her life. She wrote:

"Happy #internationalwomensday!! 🥰 Today, I had to take a minute to celebrate the three women who have made the biggest impact on my life, my incredible sisters @biancajolietennis & Jodeci, and my amazing mami!"

Her Sister Is Also a Tennis Player

Like Venus and Serena Williams, who play tennis and whose father coached them, Leylah also has a sister who plays tennis, and their father coaches both of them.

Her sister, Bianca Jolie Fernandez, is one year older than her and made her Women's Tennis Association main draw debut at the 2022 Monterrey Open, where they played doubles.

The sisters also have a close-knit bond as they would train together. Leylah wrote in an Instagram post that her sister is like a best friend, and she loves their shared love for tennis.