Leylah Fernández, the 22-year-old Canadian tennis star, has sparked widespread interest in her personal life after revealing details about her first-ever dating experience ahead of the 2025 Cincinnati Open. Known for her breakout run to the 2021 US Open final at just 18, Fernández recently opened up about going on her first date, igniting speculation about her relationship status with the bold statement, “There has been a second date, and we are keeping in contact, so we will see.”
The buzz began when Fernández, while in Washington, D.C., for the Citi Open—where she clinched her first WTA 500 title by defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2—posted a video on Instagram via Tennis Channel, expressing her desire to go on a date for the first time. “Hey guys, you know what I really want to do and I haven’t done? Is going on a date,” she said, opting to avoid dating apps and inviting potential suitors to DM her with details about themselves for a one-hour date in Montreal. The response was overwhelming, with Fernández receiving over 100 messages on the first day, including from fellow athletes she met at the Olympics.
Despite a first-round loss to Maya Joint at the Canadian Open (6-4, 6-1), Fernández’s search for a date continued. In an interview with Tennis.com, she shared that sifting through the responses was challenging, as many suitors were international and willing to fly in, which she declined to avoid inconvenience. Ultimately, she selected a candidate whose message caught her attention, humorously noting she “stalked him” online to verify his authenticity and sought approval from her family and team, including her protective father and coach, Jorge Fernández. “I had a good time with the guy. He was funny, he is nice,” she told Tennis Channel, revealing that the mystery man hadn’t even seen her initial video, adding an element of serendipity to their connection.
The pair have since gone on a second date and are “keeping in contact,” prompting headlines like those from Tennis Up To Date questioning if Fernández is “off the market.” However, Fernández remained coy about the future, emphasizing a desire to “get to know each other” without rushing ahead, focusing on mutual interests beyond her tennis career. Posts on X, such as those from @TennisInfinity1 and @ANTIDOPINGS_EU, amplified the story, reflecting fans’ excitement over her candid approach to dating.
Fernández’s openness, as noted by Short Box, challenges the exclusivity often tied to celebrity romance, suggesting compatibility matters more than status. Her grounded approach—preferring a simple coffee date and a park stroll, with Ryan Gosling as her celebrity crush—has endeared her to fans, drawing comparisons to Eugenie Bouchard’s viral Twitter date. While it’s unclear if Fernández is officially “off the market,” her ongoing contact with her mystery man suggests a budding connection. As she competes at the Cincinnati Open, where she faces Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second round, fans are as eager to follow her off-court journey as her on-court performance. For more, check Tennis.com or TennisInfinity.com. If you have a specific article or details, share them, and I can refine the response!
