MANILA, Philippines — Leylah Fernandez is on the brink of clinching her first-ever Grand Slam title, after beating No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open semifinal on Thursday (Friday, Manila time).
But more than the US Open trophy is at stake when she faces fellow teenager Emma Raducanu in the final set Saturday (Sunday in Manila), with a chance to rise astronomically in the WTA rankings also up for grabs.
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Per the WTA Insider, Fernandez — currently ranked 73rd in the World Rankings — is expected to rise to No. 27 already with her stint in the Final.
But if she gets the win against Raducanu Saturday afternoon (early Sunday, Manila), she will break into the Top 20 as No. 19.
Fernandez' previous career high in the WTA rankings was World No. 66.
The tennister out of Canada, who has Filipino and Ecuadorian roots, will also be the top ranking player representing Canada in the Tour should she win the title.
A final win in Arthur Ashe Stadium will help Fernandez overtake the current top-ranked Canadian, Bainca Andreescu.
Coincidentally, Andreescu won the US Open in 2019.