MELBOURNE — After the short-lived stint of Alex Eala here in Melbourne for the 2025 Australian Open Tennis, hordes of Filipino fans still can be seen everywhere inside the Melbourne park. Pinoy fans like everyone else caught the AO fever which is now on its second week. The sense of belonging pervades in the air, the sense of looking for somebody to rally on, for somebody to be identified with.
The atmosphere inside the park is festive. People of different colors and culture can be seen strutting their national pride whether through a flag drape in their shoulders or their national colors painted in their face or shirts.
Then came Leylah Annie Fernandez. Maybe the only tennis player in the AO that has Pinoy blood in her veins. She was born in Montreal, Quebec, to an Ecuadorian father and a Filipino-Canadian mother. Her father Jorge is from Ecuador, a former football player and now her personal tennis coach. Her mother Irene (née Exevea) is a Filipino Canadian. Leylah has a sister named Bianca who is also a tennis player.
The left-handed tennis player’s talent became evident in 2019 when she reached the junior’s final at the Australian Open but lost to top-seeded Clara Tauson. She, however bounced back a year later claiming the Roland-Garros Girls’ title over Emma Navarro that moved her to number one in the world junior rankings.
Young Leylah started to make waves in 2020 by progressing in the world rankings. She qualified in the main draw for the Australian Open but lost in the first round. In October of the same year at the French Open, Fernandez reached the third round before losing to seventh seed Petra Kvitová in straight sets
Her biggest break came in 2021 when she reached the finals at the 2021 US Open Women’s Singles. She became the fan favorite when she upset defending champion and third seed Naomi Osaka in the third round and beat the current World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed in the semis to reach her first major finals. She lost ultimately to another teen ager Emma Raducanu in straight sets in the finals.
Currently ,the venue where Leylah plays in the Melbourne park virtually became the meeting area of Filipinos in Melbourne. The chant of “Let’s go Leyla” can be heard everywhere mostly coming from the loud Filipino group in the crowd.
Pinoy fans need a hero. They were hungry for someone to rally upon after Alex Eala’s early exit. Leyla Fernandez’ look, court demeanor and intensity caught the attention of Pinoy fans in need of somebody they can identified with. Never mind if she’s only about one third part Filipino. As long as she fought intensely for every point, show her grit and determination the Pinoy fans are there to cheer for her.
Canadians, Ecuadorian, the Asians are rooting for her being the underdog. The 30th seed Leylah Fernandez’ journey at the Australian Open is uncertain but one thing is sure the Filipinos will be there in her fight at the Melbourne Park every step of the way, to cheer and rally behind her.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas. Vamos Leylah.
