Leylah Fernandez is set to begin her campaign at the 2026 Charleston Open. Before her first match at the WTA 500 tournament, the Canadian was signing autographs for fans when she received a humorous request to sign cash.
The 2026 Charleston Open began on March 30, 2026, and will run until April 5, 2026. The tournament matches will be played on the outdoor clay courts at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina.
Leylah Fernandez Reacts to Unusual Autograph Request at the 2026 Charleston Open
Leading up to the Charleston Open, Fernandez participated in the 2026 Miami Open. She was seeded 26th in the singles event and began her campaign in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round. In her opening match, she defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva (7-6(1), 3-6, 6-1) before losing to fifth seed Jessica Pegula (6-2, 6-2) in the third round.
The former world No. 13 also played in the doubles event in Florida, partnering with Venus Williams. They received a wild-card entry into the tournament’s main draw but were eliminated by the sixth-seeded duo of Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffe (6-3, 3-6 [11-13]) in the first round.
Looking towards the 2026 Charleston Open, Fernandez is seeded ninth and will begin her campaign in the second round following a first-round bye. In her opening match, she will face the winner of the first-round match between qualifier Polina Kudermetova and Oleksandra Oliynykova.
Ahead of her second-round match at the WTA 500 tournament in South Carolina, Fernandez signed autographs for fans at the stadium. Among them, a couple of young boys approached her with an unusual request for her signature on a dollar bill and an UNO reverse card.
The former world No. 13 took to social media to share pictures of the boys and humorously mentioned that it was her first time signing cash. She also expressed appreciation for the “creativity” of the fans.
“First time signing a dollar bill & UNO reverse card!! There’s a first time for everything!! Definitely loved the creativity @creditonecharlestonopen,” Fernandez captioned her Instagram story.
Fernandez has never faced Kudermetova or Oliynykova on the WTA Tour, so the upcoming second-round match at the 2026 Charleston Open will be a first for her against either player. The winner of this match will advance to meet Katie Volynets or the seventh seed Diana Shnaider in the third round.
In addition to her singles campaign at the 2026 Charleston Open, Fernandez is also competing in the doubles event alongside Kristina Mladenovic. They will face the duo of Anna Bondár and Magdalena Fręch in the first round, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals.
