At A Glance
- Leylah Fernandez has offered Filipina ace Alex Eala a tour around Toronto if their schedule permits in the ongoing WTA 1000 National Bank Open.
(Getty Images / Emilee Chinn)
Leylah Fernandez has offered Filipina ace Alex Eala a tour around Toronto if their schedule permits in the ongoing WTA 1000 National Bank Open.
Fernandez, who has Filipino roots through her mother, hopes to get the opportunity to talk with Eala off the court and, perhaps, schedule their plan and visit landmarks in the Canadian city.
“I know she’s got here, so I haven’t had the chance to even see her. I only saw her walking on court and I didn’t want to kind of mess her concentration,” said Fernandez.
“So, you know, hopefully, we do get the chance to speak off court and if she does need any suggestions I can give her a couple places that I like to go,” she added.
Fernandez, who also called Eala a “friend” and “nice girl”, believed that Eala has a great routine and a team to back her up, especially with regard to matters off the court.
“If she needs any help, I’m here,” added Fernandez.
Eala, the world No. 20, responded to No. 34 Fernandez’s recent comments by describing the latter as a great person.
“Well, my relationship with Leylah is pretty good, I think we’re friends… and she’s really a great person. I have not really dove into her heritage or ethnicity. I know she’s half Filipino through her mother,” said Eala.
“And it’s really nice to see, I do connect quite well with people of Filipino heritage on Tour, most notably also Sab Santamaria or Desirae [Krawczyk]. But yeah, it is really nice to have people who kinda know a little bit about the culture,” she added.