Leylah Fernandez and Mirra Andreeva engaged in a blockbuster third-round clash at the 2026 Canadian Open. After Fernandez pulled off a spectacular upset at the WTA 1000 event on home soil, she candidly addressed the scheduling of the contest, having missed out on a primetime slot.
Why Leylah Fernandez Was ‘Upset’ About Her Canadian Open Schedule
Fernandez is the last Canadian standing in either the men’s or women’s competition at the Canadian Open, making her the sole hope for the home crowd in Toronto. The 23-year-old enjoyed the crowd’s vocal support when she took on Renata Zarazúa in her opening match during the evening session on Centre Court.
However, her third-round showdown with No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva was scheduled as the second match on Centre Court on Friday, August 7. The duo took the court after Elena Rybakina triumphed over Ann Li.
Fernandez produced a dominant display during the high-profile clash, claiming a 6-1, 6-4 win over Andreeva to snap her seven-match losing streak against top-10 opponents.
During her post-match press conference, Fernandez revealed that she was a “little upset” about being scheduled to play in the afternoon. However, she said she understood the decision, given that Andreeva had to play her doubles match alongside partner Sorana Cîrstea after their singles clash.
“I mean, I found out about the scheduling a little bit yesterday, and I was a little bit upset. Because of course I love to play evening, especially here in Canada at home. But like they explained, it was that Mirra had the doubles, so, you know, I kind of understood,” Fernandez said.
The Canadian also credited the tournament organizers for informing her of the schedule in advance, sharing that it allowed her to move past her disappointment and be psychologically ready for the match.
“Frankly, I’m actually glad that, you know, they spoke to me beforehand. They gave me ample time. So I was able to kind of prepare myself mentally and kind of get over that little disappointment,” she said.
Fernandez further expressed hope that she would return to the evening session for her fourth-round showdown.
“My team and I just said, like, Got to win to get an evening match. So hopefully next round we get an evening match. But if not, I just do hope that the fans can come out and have another full, packed stadium,” she added.
Given that No. 30 seed Leylah Fernandez is set to lock horns with No. 11 seed Naomi Osaka in a highly anticipated contest in the fourth round, she will likely get her wish for a favorable schedule. If Fernandez triumphs over the former world No. 1, she will face No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina or Liudmila Samsonova in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open.
