**Leylah Fernandez Secures DC Open Title in Stylish Fashion**
Washington, Jul 28 (AP) — Leylah Fernandez clinched the biggest title of her tennis career at the DC Open on Sunday, showcasing a remarkable backhand, excellent returning skills, and a surprising source of energy: Shake Shack's burgers and fries.
Fernandez, a 22-year-old left-hander from Canada ranked 36th in the world, concluded a week of challenging matches with a commanding victory, defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in the final. This triumph marks her fourth singles title, all on hard courts, and her first at a WTA 500 event. Fernandez nearly seized a Grand Slam win as a teenager at the 2021 U.S. Open, reaching the final in New York before losing to Emma Raducanu.
The tournament nearly featured a Fernandez-Raducanu rematch, but Kalinskaya stopped Raducanu in the semifinals on Saturday.
In the men's division, No. 7 seed Alex de Minaur emerged victorious, capturing his 10th ATP title — eighth on hard courts — by saving three championship points in a thrilling 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (3) win over No. 12 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The 26-year-old Australian, who finished as runner-up in Washington in 2018, gained a notable victory under pressure.
Davidovich Fokina, who remains without a title, dropped to 0-4 in finals despite being just a point away from victory multiple times on Sunday. This marks the second instance this year where he has squandered numerous match points in a final. Ranked No. 26 before the tournament, he will rise to the top 20 for the first time on Monday.
Fernandez made a remarkable journey through the women's bracket.
She spent 2 hours and 19 minutes battling No. 1 seed Jessica Pegula, last year's U.S. Open runner-up, in the second round, required 2 hours and 20 minutes to overcome Taylor Townsend in the quarterfinals, and endured a marathon 3 hours and 12 minutes for a three-tiebreaker victory over No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, in the semifinals.
Following exhausting matches, Fernandez and her father-coach opted for Shake Shack meals.
"After the Townsend match, we got burgers, hot dogs, cheese fries — everything an athlete shouldn't eat before a match, but it worked wonders," Fernandez mentioned. "It helped recover from cramps and prepare for the next round." After the Rybakina marathon, the father-daughter duo simultaneously suggested burgers for their post-match meal. "That was my diet for the entire week," Fernandez admitted.
This choice paid off as Fernandez claimed her first title since October 2023 at the Hong Kong Open. She arrived in Washington with a losing record this season and hadn't progressed beyond two matches in a tournament since last November. Her perseverance through strenuous matches and adverse conditions became a testament to her growth.
"I faced numerous challenges this week, and they've only strengthened me. If I can endure this — the cramps, long matches, heat, and humidity — I can overcome anything," Fernandez reflected. "I'm thrilled not only to have pushed myself physically but also mentally. I believe this experience will aid in future tournaments"
Against the 48th-ranked Kalinskaya, who hadn't lost a set until the final, Fernandez saved the only break point she encountered and broke Kalinskaya's serve four times. A critical strategy was Fernandez's ability to win 10 of 12 points on Kalinskaya's second serve, while Kalinskaya, a 26-year-old Russian, made 24 unforced errors against only nine winners.
"Amazing fight this week," Kalinskaya praised Fernandez, "You truly deserve it."
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