"When I was younger, I would imagine myself playing against Serena and Venus Williams" - Leylah Fernandez after reaching US Open SF

Leylah Fernandez's fighting spirit was on full display on Tuesday, as she battled past fifth seed Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) in the quarterfinals of the US Open. With the win, the 19-year-old Canadian became the youngest player to reach the US Open semifinals since Maria Sharapova in 2005.

Svitolina overcame a 5-2 deficit in the final set to force a tiebreaker, but Fernandez, buoyed by a vocal crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, rallied to seal her third straight win over a seeded player; she had beaten third seed Naomi Osaka and 16th seed Angelique Kerber en route to the final eight.

During her post-match press conference, the Canadian said that from a young age she had always dreamed of playing on the biggest courts in front of large crowds. Leylah Fernandez added that she had learned to tap into the energy of the crowds and use it to her advantage.

"From a very young age I've always wanted to be on the first court playing in front of my parents," Fernandez said. "Over the years I've been learning how to use the crowd's energy, how to use it to my advantage even if they're cheering against me, to use it and have fun on the court."

Fernandez, who lifted her first career title at Monterrey earlier this year, has posted mediocre results for a large part of the 2021 season. But the Canadian has endured a remarkable upturn in fortunes in New York.

The 19-year-old pointed out that despite her poor showings, she had continued to work hard in order to improve her game. According to Fernandez, the sacrifices she has made over the past year or so have led her to where she is today.

"After my win in Monterrey, I was training well, playing well. Just a few bad matches here and there," the Canadian said. "I always went back to work. Went back home to work harder, try to improve. I was glad that every match that I played I was improving little by little. Today or this whole few weeks I was able to showcase all the sacrifices I've made the past year so that I can get to this point."

Leylah Fernandez revealed she has imagined herself playing against Venus and Serena Williams

During the press conference, Leylah Fernandez was also asked if she had ever imagined herself playing against a certain player growing up. Fernandez revealed that she had imagined herself taking on Justine Henin and the Williams sisters on the biggest stages of tennis, the Grand Slams.

"I've imagined myself playing in every tournament, every Grand Slam, at the biggest stage," revealed Leylah Fernandez. "When I was younger, since I used Justine Henin as a great example, I would imagine myself playing against her. I would also imagine myself playing against Serena and Venus [Williams], and the past few years playing against [Naomi] Osaka in a big tournament."

"We're all hungry to make a difference in the tennis world"- Leylah Fernandez on the rise of Next Gen players

Felix Auger-Aliassime joined Leylah Fernandez in the semifinals of the 2021 US Open

Leylah Fernandez, along with 21-year-old Felix Auger Aliassime, is one of two Canadians in the last four of the US Open. With Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz having made it to the quarterfinals and 18-year-old Brit Emma Raducanu still in the fray, this edition of the New York Major has witnessed the next generation of players making an emphatic statement.

When asked for her thoughts on tennis' "Next Gen" announcing themselves this fortnight at Flushing Meadows, Leylah Fernandez said the younger players all want to make an impact in the sport.

"I think we're all just super hungry to make a difference in the tennis world," asserted Leylah Fernandez. "I've known a few of them from the junior tours. We've always talked about and joked around that we're going to be on the WTA Tour, we're going to be on the big stage together."

"I'm just glad that we're doing such great jobs and doing just that. We want to make a difference. We want to make an impact in tennis. This tournament just proves how well we're adapting to everything," she added.

The Canadian will face second seed Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday for a place in the US Open final.