Leylah Fernandez advanced to the quarter-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open, marking her first appearance in the last eight of a WTA 1000 event or Grand Slam in nearly two years. The 24th-seeded Canadian from Lavallois, Quebec, defeated Ann Li in straight sets in the fourth round to secure the milestone, according to Tennis Canada.
How Fernandez reached the Madrid quarters
Fernandez received a first-round bye, then defeated Julia Grabher in her opening match. She faced 15th-seeded Iva Jovic in the third round as an underdog but recovered from a set down to advance. In the fourth round, she benefited when Iga Swiatek, a four-time Roland-Garros champion, retired against Li in the previous round, giving Fernandez a favourable matchup that she converted into a straight-set victory.
Canadian men's results in Madrid
Félix Auger-Aliassime was the only Canadian man to record a victory in Madrid, defeating qualifier Vilius Gaubas in straight sets in his opening match. The Montrealer, fresh off reaching the quarter-finals at Monte-Carlo, was eliminated in the third round by Belgian rising star Alexander Blockx. Three other Canadian seeds—Victoria Mboko among them—lost their opening matches, with Mboko falling to Caty McNally in the second round.
Sources
- Tennis Canada: Monday Digest: Fernandez Ends Drought in Madrid. Tennis Canada, 2026.
Reported from public sources.