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Leylah Fernandez has penned a heartwarming message for her father, Jorge, on the occasion of his birthday.
Fernandez is in the Spanish capital for the 2024 Madrid Open, commencing her campaign against Anastasia Potapova in the second round after a first-round bye.
Following her opening-round exit at the Charleston Open, the Canadian will aim to notch up her first claycourt win of the season by making a strong start at the WTA 1000 event.
Amid her preparations, the 21-year-old took to social media to send a heartfelt birthday message to her father, Jorge. She expressed gratitude for his unwavering support and belief in her abilities, acknowledging his hand in her success.
She shared a touching video compilation along with her message, showcasing their special bond. Much of the clip consisted of their shared time on the tennis court, as Leylah Fernandez's father doubles as her coach.
"Happy birthday to the person who supports me the most, who makes me laugh the most, who believes in me more than anyone else, who supports me at all times, who helps me achieve all my dreams... and much more. I love you daddyyyyyy 🥰," she captioned her Instagram post (Translated from Spanish).
Fernandez has previously opened up about how she and her father Jorge manage to keep their coaching relationship from impacting their father-daughter bond.
The Canadian disclosed that, while they were warned that their relationship could be "destroyed" due to their coaching dynamic, she and her father have developed an effective and healthy way to communicate to prevent that from happening.
"We've been said that it's not going to work. It's not only going to destroy the father-daughter bond, but also the coach and athlete bond," Leylah Fernandez said in a press conference at the 2022 US Open.
"But I think we found a good way to communicate, to talk, to keep going. When they saw that, like, when they saw that, they've accepted a lot more. They're like, 'Oh, it does work,'" she added.
Leylah Fernandez: "My dad did his homework with all the fathers who have helped the WTA and ATP players"
During the same press conference, Leylah Fernandez was asked whether her father Jorge has drawn inspiration from the coaching style of Venus and Serena Williams' father Richard.
The 21-year-old responded in the affirmative, confirming that her father had researched all the successful fathers in the sport, including Maria Sharapova, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi's.
"Yeah, yeah. My dad did his homework with all the fathers who have helped the WTA and ATP players. He was kind of looking into Maria Sharapova's dad, also Andre Agassi's dad, Pete Sampras' story, too," Leylah Fernandez said.
Fernandez also credited her father for helping her regain her identity on the court after she had stopped enjoying amid an underwhelming 2023 season.
