Leylah Fernandez

Kim Clijsters Beats Leylah Fernandez At Champions Series Mixed Team Event In Orlando

December 4, 2022 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Leylah Fernandez and Jack Sock defeated Kim Clijsters and Sam Querrey 7-6(3) in the decisive mixed doubles match to clinch a 2-1 team victory and win the Bea for Kids Champions Challenge at The Heathrow Country Club in Orlando, Florida.

Fernandez, the world No. 40 and the 2021 U.S. Open women’s singles runner-up, overcame a 7-5 upset loss to Clijsters in the singles to re-bound and win her second mixed team title on the Champions Series circuit this year. In September, Fernandez paired with Bob Bryan to win the title at The Greenbrier in West Virginia in September.

Clijsters, the 39-year-old former world No. 1 and five years removed from her induction in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, opened the day’s play with her win over Fernandez, 19 years her junior. After Sock defeated former Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey 6-3 to tie the team score at 1-1, Fernandez returned to the court with Sock to beat Clijsters and Querrey 7-6 (3) to clinch the team victory.

“I’m just super happy to be sharing the court with Jack,” said Fernandez. “It’s always amazing to be beside him, and it’s always fun. He’s always funny. He always makes me laugh. So I think I just enjoyed myself playing with him, and I’m glad I was able to share the court also with Kim, who is legend in the game, and Sam. They’re amazing people and it was a great day overall.”

After playing with Clijsters during World TeamTennis matches over the last few years, Sock was confionted first-hand at the competitiveness of Clijsters, who event pegged the U.S. Davis Cupper with a hard volley at one point in the match.

“She’s like my second mom after we played World TeamTennis together, and so I thought we were like family, but clearly not,” joked Sock of Clijsters. “I have a welt right here on my leg. That’s going to feel good in the morning. But she is amazing and a legend of the game. It’s always fun to be around her.”

With the victory, Fernandez and Sock split the first prize of $50,000 while Querrey and Clijsters split the runner-up payout of 25,000.

For more information on Champions Series Tennis, go to www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $5 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Bob Bryan, Leylah Fernandez Win Champions Series Mixed Team Event at The Greenbrier

September 25, 2022 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Bob Bryan and Leylah Fernandez each won singles matches and paired for a mixed doubles victory to claim a 3-0 team victory over Sam Querrey and Ashley Harkleroad Saturday to win the Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Bryan, fresh off subbing for Mardy Fish as U.S. Davis Cup captain last week in Glasgow, Scotland, posted a 7-6 (3) win over Sam Querrey in the event’s opening one-set men’s singles match. Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up, then registered a 6-3 win over former star Ashley Harkleroad, a last-minute replacement for Danielle Collins, who was unable to play due to illness.

Bryan and Fermandez then defeated Querrey and Harkleroad 6-3 to close out the event.

Bryan and Querrey, former U.S. Davis Cup teammates, both did not lose serve in their set, but Bryan was able to nudge ahead in the tiebreaker. In his post-match on-court interview, Bryan credited a live arm, a high percentage of first serves and, jokingly, the support he received from some rowdy fans sitting courtside and coaching from a group of ladies in the stands for his win.

“It’s great to be playing singles,” said Bryan who won 16 majors doubles titles with twin brother Mike. “It’s great to be back here at The Greenbrier. It’s such a beautiful place. This is my third time here.”

Bryan actually ended his pro career at The Greenbrier in 2020, participating in the World Team Tennis season which was played entirely at the West Virginia resort during the COVID pandemic. While Bryan’s pro career ended at The Greenbrier, it marked a new beginning for Querrey, the 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist who ended his 16-year pro career at the 2022 U.S. Open.

“Sam just retired a couple weeks ago so hats off to him on a great career,” said Bryan. “We were Davis Cup teammates. I saw him win titles all over the world and I was always proud to be on the team with him.”

With the victory, Bryan and Fernandez split the first prize of $50,000 while Querrey and Harkleroad split the runner-up payout of 25,000.

For more information on Champions Series Tennis, go to www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Bob Bryan, Leylah Fernandez, Ashley Harkleroad and Sam Querrey

Genie Bouchard Headlines Champions Series Tennis at The Greenbrier

July 31, 2022 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Genie Bouchard, Jack Sock, Leylah Fernandez and Sam Querrey make up the four-player field at the 2022 Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic at Center Court at Creekside Stadium on September 24 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

A women’s singles match, men’s singles match and a mixed doubles match make up the action at this unique, intimate event, hosted by Champions Series Tennis.

“We started this event in 2012, hoping to bring tennis back as a showcase sport at The Greenbrier, and we’ve had some of the top players to ever play the sport play on our courts,” said Dr. Jill Justice, President, The Greenbrier. “It’s extremely exciting to know we’ve kept this event going for a decade and continue to bring an entertaining product to tennis enthusiasts from around the area.”

The action begins with men’s singles at 2 p.m., pitting Sock against Querrey. The two have met only once before, with Sock coming out on top in Houston in 2015. That exciting men’s match will be followed by a women’s showcase, with Fernandez and Bouchard going head-to-head at approximately 3 p.m. The final match of the day, scheduled to begin around 4 p.m., is a mixed doubles match featuring Bouchard and Querrey teaming up against Fernandez and Sock.

Tickets can be purchased online by visiting Greenbrier.com/TennisClassic. Courtside seats are $100, Lower Level seats $75, Upper Level seats $35 and children 12-and-under are $10. VIP experiences — including opportunities to play with the pros, a player party and a backstage experience — are also available to enhance your visit to The Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic. They can be purchased at www.championsseriestennis.com.

Sock is a 29-year-old American player, who has won four career ATP single titles and 15 doubles titles. He’s been ranked as high as No. 8 in the world in singles and No. 2 in doubles. He won Wimbledon doubles titles in 2014 and 2018 and a U.S. Open doubles title in 2018. He won a gold medal (mixed doubles) and bronze medal (doubles) at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Bouchard is a 28-year-old Canadian player, who has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the world in singles, becoming the first Canadian to reach the top 5. She reached the finals at Wimbledon in 2014 and has reached the semifinals at both the French Open and Australian Open.

Querrey is a 34-year-old American player who has won 10 career ATP singles titles and been ranked as high as No. 11 in the world. He reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2017 after knocking off No. 1 Andy Murray. He became the first American to reach a Grand Slam semifinal in 8 years.

Fernandez is a 19-year-old Canadian player currently ranked No. 20 in the world. The left-hander has won two career singles titles and reached the finals of the U.S. Open in 2021. She received the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award by the Canadian Press as its choice for top Canadian female athlete that same year.

Built in 2015, Center Court at Creekside Stadium takes advantage of its unique Creekside location, featuring expansive views of Howard’s Creek, the iconic Old White golf course and the picturesque mountains beyond, while offering as many as 2,600 spectators an engaging viewing experience.

About The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier is a distinct and spectacular luxury mountain resort situated in the Allegheny Mountains in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. It is best known as “America’s Resort” and is synonymous with world-class, authentic, southern hospitality. The Greenbrier experience began in 1778 and offers a luxurious respite to discerning guests from around the world. The grand scale architecture, Dorothy Draper décor, immaculate attention to detail and legendary gracious service set The Greenbrier apart from all others. Guests walk in the footsteps of presidents, celebrities and generations of families who regard The Greenbrier as a “one of one” destination. The 710 perfectly appointed Signature Resort Rooms, Classic and Historic Suites, Legacy Cottages and Estate Homes are situated on The Greenbrier’s breathtaking 11,000-acre playground. Play championship golf courses or experience more than 55 activities, including professional indoor and outdoor tennis, off-road driving and falconry. America’s only private casino features table games, slot machines and the FanDuel Sportsbook. The Greenbrier’s full-service, 40,000-square-foot world-renowned spa is widely recognized as one of the most luxurious mineral spas in the world, and the Retail Collection is comprised of more than 35 boutiques, shops and hand-crafted works of art. In addition to The Main Dining Room, The Greenbrier Restaurant Collection is comprised of 19 restaurants, cafés and lounges, featuring traditional, award–winning southern-inspired cuisine. The Greenbrier Clinic has been practicing diagnostic medicine since 1948. The Greenbrier Sporting Club and The Greenbrier Legacy Club offer the pinnacle of luxury real estate with exclusive home sites within distinctive neighborhoods across The Greenbrier estate. Follow The Greenbrier on Facebook at The Greenbrier, on Twitter at @the_greenbrier or on Instagram at the_greenbrier.

About InsideOut Sports + Entertainment

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $5 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or InvescoSeries.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Clijsters, Fernandez, Sock and Baghdatis To Compete In Latest Champions Series Tennis Mixed Team Event In St. Louis

June 6, 2022 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

LOS ANGELES – Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters and 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez will join four-time major doubles champ Jack Sock and 2006 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis at the St. Louis Champions Classic, July 21 at Chaifetz Arena.

The event will be the second ever mixed team format event on the Champions Series tennis circuit featuring men’s and women’s legends competing throughout the year for prize money and the season-long points championship.

Clijsters and Sock will play as a team against Fernandez and Baghdatis, each playing a set of singles and then pairing for a deciding mixed doubles match.

The event will feature $75,000 in prize money with $50,000 going to the winning team and $25,000 to the runner-up. The winning team members will each be awarded 200 ranking points while the runner-up team members will be awarded 100 ranking points towards the season-long championship. Each player will also be awarded 100 ranking points for every singles match they participate in and an additional 100 ranking points for each victory.

“This is going to be a very special and exciting night of tennis, featuring two legend players competing against two current touring pros which will make for a fascinating dynamic,” said Jon Venison, Co-President of InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, the organization that founded and runs Champions Series Tennis.

Tickets are for sale starting Thursday, June 2 at www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

Earlier this year, Genie Bouchard and Tommy Haas were victorious in the first-ever Champions Series mixed team event at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif., defeating Sofia Kenin and Sam Querrey two matches to one. Champions Series Tennis will also stage events in 2022 in Dallas, The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Orlando and other sites to be announced. Full player fields and event dates will be announced in the near future.

For the St. Louis Champions Classic, the event will start with “Play with the Pros” fan experiences from 3 pm to 5 pm, followed by a “Player Party Experience” and a “Backstage Experience” starting at 5:30 pm. Sock and Baghdatis will kick off match play at 7 pm, followed by Clijsters and Fernandez and concluding with the mixed doubles match. Champions Series Tennis began in 2005 and over the last 16 years has featured some of the greatest names in men’s tennis, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Michael Chang among others. Courier won the first Champions Series Tennis event held in 2005 in Houston at the Westside Tennis Club.

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $5 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or InvescoSeries.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Roland Garros turns into battleground for teen sensations

May 29, 2022 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Cori Gauff has reached the quarterfinals of Roland Garros, just as she managed to do in last year’s edition of the French Open. The 18 year old cast aside Belgian hopeful Elise Mertens in straight sets 6-4, 6-0 and has not lost a set in Paris yet.

Canadian Leylah Fernandez , the 19 year old finalist of the US Open and former youth champion of Roland Garros in 2018, followed Gauff’s example by beating American neighbor Amanda Anisimova in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Cori Gauff, who beat 26 year old Mertens last year at Eastbourne, had trouble getting into the match. In the first set she was made to work to fix a break twice just to break her opponent and take the set.

Mertens won two points in the second set but Gauff put her house in order and made 13 points in a row to 3-0. The rest of the match Mertens was left trailing, who reached the 1/8 finales in 2018, Cori Gauff.

Anisimova, semi finalist in 2019, was behind 4-0 in the blink of an eye who only cashed in on her fifth setpoint. In the second set Anisimova gave away a break at 5-3 but showed willpower but breaking back immediately. Fernandez won third set with only three misses.

Fernandez is now the highest seeded player (17th seed) in the bottom half of the draw. She will now draw Martina Trevisan. The Italian number 59 of the world beat Belarussian Aljaksandra Sasnovitsj with 7-6 (10), 7-5.