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Are Leylah & Bianca Fernandez the New Faces of Tennis? We Sure Hope So!

Lead Photo: DELRAY BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 13: Bianca Fernandez (CAN) and Leylah Fernandez (CAN) pose together after an exhibition match at the ATP Delray Beach Open on February 13, 2022, at the Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Florida.(Photo by Aaron Gilbert/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DELRAY BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 13: Bianca Fernandez (CAN) and Leylah Fernandez (CAN) pose together after an exhibition match at the ATP Delray Beach Open on February 13, 2022, at the Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Florida.(Photo by Aaron Gilbert/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Leylah Fernandez and Bianca Fernandez are coming for a title — together. The sisters, ranked 13 and 941 in the WTA ranking, respectively, will get the rare chance to play doubles as a team at the National Bank Open. And though comparison is the thief of joy, we can’t help but wish for a future for them that looks at least somewhat like that of one of their heroes, the Williams sisters.

The Fernandez sisters were given a wild-card entry to the tournament and will face Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens and Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo in the first round, which is set to be played tomorrow (August 9th).

Leylah Fernandez, who hasn’t played since she injured her foot at Roland Garros, is also slated to play singles. Fernandez, who rose to tennis prominence after a Cinderella run at last year’s US Open that saw her reach the final, suffered a Grade 3 stress fracture at the French Open this year. The injury forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon and has her coming into her first tournament since with tempered expectations.

“I think I’m just going to try and enjoy my time on court and, secondly, see how I feel physically and mentally,” Fernandez said, adding that she’s been feeling great during practice, but the intensity of matches is hard to replicate.

Playing doubles with her sister should be a nice way to get some rhythm and, hopefully, have some fun in the leadup to the tournament Leylah Fernandez almost won last year. And as for younger sister Bianca Jolie Fernandez, hopefully, this is the start of bigger and better things as she looks to emulate her big sister’s recent success.

Catch Leyla and Bianca Fernandez’s doubles match tomorrow as the National Bank Open’s women’s doubles get underway at the Sobeys Stadium at York University.