Leylah Fernandez is paired with Venus Williams in Doubles at the U.S. Open - and the pair won their first-round match Thursday night in upset fashion, beating the number six-ranked duo. Fernandez, 22, said getting the call to be Williams’ partner was a dream come true. “I was like a kid on Christmas Day,” she told reporters after the match Thursday. “Just jumping around. I was so happy.” Williams, 45, is one of the best female tennis players of all time. She has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and 49 total singles titles on the Women’s Tennis Association Tour. But perhaps more notably, she has won 14 Grand Slam Doubles titles with her sister Serena as a partner. After another first-round victory at a Grand Slam, Williams said Fernandez reminded her of Serena. “Our energy really matched each other,” said Williams. “That felt amazing because I never really played with a partner, outside of Serena obviously, who had that kind of mentality.” Fernandez, sitting beside Williams at the podium, was extremely flattered by her words. “That’s like probably the biggest compliment I ever got. So thank you, Venus. I mean. Oh, man. I feel like those are big shoes to fill,” she said with a laugh. The rest of the tennis world also noticed their chemistry. Aleksandra Wozniak, a former professional player who is also from Montreal, said Fernandez’s rise to fame has been a treat to watch. “I saw from a young age how she was determined. She had that fire in her eyes and super focused, super dynamic, how quick she was on the tennis courts,” she explains. “I think it’s a great doubles pair. It’s exciting.” The pairing is a unique opportunity for Fernandez to attract more fans, as she’s paired with an American Tennis icon at the U.S. Open. “To see her on the court with one of my idols and obviously one of her idols, and then having success and playing so well, it was just it was amazing to watch,” said Todd Hafner, an American visiting Montreal for an amateur Tennis tournament. Fernandez has a singles match Friday at 7:00 p.m. before teaming up with Williams again on Saturday.
