ROLAND GARROS

September 28, 2020

Leylah Fernandez

Press Conference

L. FERNANDEZ/M. Linette

1-6, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You just knocked out the 31 seed. How does it feel coming back here a place where you were victorious, talk about that.

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yes, I'm actually pretty pleased with myself with the win today. It's not easy with the conditions, especially with the wait, but I've been having some success in the past few years here in Paris and I was just trying to use that energy and that positive vibe that I feel over here and push through in the second and the third set.

Q. You lose the first set 6-1, when was, was there a point in the second set where you believed that the tide would turn and you can go on and win this match?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: I've always believed that I can win the match. Even though I was losing 1-4, 1-5 in the first set, I always thought like I can come back and win the first set.

But Magda, she played a great first set, a great match, and I guess when I came back in the second set right from the start I knew I can still turn it around and with that mindset that I had it helped a lot.

Q. We did talk last week, so when we talked we talked about your up bringing and how much it has influenced the person that you are today. Just as a follow-up, because I actually wanted to expand a little bit more on that, you talked about your parents a lot, your sister. But I'm just curious, did you ever kind of receive support from other people in your family, your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and has that really helped you as well or how has that real influenced the person you are today?

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ: Yeah, well, first of all because of tennis I don't really visit my aunts, uncles, my grandparents as much as I would love to. But because, like, let's say I'm, we talk a little bit more in Spanish, so I sometimes Facetime my grandparents from my father's side and we talk a lot.

They always tell me to fight and to chase my dreams as much as I can and that no matter what they will love me and that everything that I do they will support. So I guess that helps a lot too.

And then a few times here and there would be talking with my grandfather from my mother's side, Lolo, and he would say the same thing. And like just with their words of encouragement help me a lot. Even now like I still remember and hear them talking to me like during the match, saying like I can still do it, I can still push through. So I guess they helped me.