Leylah Fernandez of Canada embraces the championship trophy after winning a single female championship match against Anna Kalinskaya on the last day of Mubadala Citi DC Open in 2025 at William Hg Fitzgerald Tennis Center on July 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. Scott Taetsch / Getty Images / AFP
The Canadian thread Leylah Fernandez produced a dominant performance to defeat Anna Kalinskaya from Russia in two sets and win the DC Open from the WTA tour in Washington on Sunday.
The 22-year-old woman won the first victory of the WTA 500 in her career and her first title since 2023 to win 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.
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The moment Leylah Fernandez won his 4th simple WTA title in career 🤩#Mubadalacitidcopen pic.twitter.com/o8idwkogog
– wta (@wta) July 27, 2025
The victory finished a week of fairy tale for Fernandez, the finalist of the US Open 2021 who had beaten the head of Jessica Pegula and the former champion of Wimbledon Elena Rybakina on the fourth title of her career.
Fernandez said she had grown in belief throughout her campaign.
“At the start of the tournament (there), there was still a lot of doubt, but as the tournament progressed, I started to play better,” said Fernandez.
“I have met so many different challenges this week. I think it just made me stronger in a way, than if I can spend this week – through cramps, through long games, through heat and humidity – I can pass through anything. “
Fernandez took a puffy start, overlooking Kalinskaya’s service to take the opening set in just 30 minutes.
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After three titles on the left Fernandez 2-1, the breakthrough arrived in the fourth match with the service of Kalinskaya which seems increasingly vulnerable.
The Russian was soon in difficulty at 15-40, then doubled to put Fernandez the break and a 3-1 lead.
Fernandez had no difficulty in serving and held comfortably for an advance of 4-1 before attacking the Kalinskaya service in the sixth game.
The Canadian held two breaking points at 15-40 and duly converted the second for a 5-1 lead, laser a return to the back to leave Kalinskaya rooted on site.
A delicate shot on the net gave Fernandez the set in the next match.
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The second set reflected the first, Fernandez grabbing an early break to grasp the initiative at 2-1 before breaking shortly after for an advance of 4-1.
The following two games went with service, but Fernandez was not mistaken in the service for the match, converting the second of the two match points.
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Fernandez will go to Canada for Canadian WTA 1000 Open this week in Montreal, where she anticipates a more difficult test.
“Montreal is a completely different monster,” she said. “It is a larger and longer tournament. It’s going to start from scratch.”
