‘You Just Don’t Want To Listen’ – Leylah Fernandez’s Father’s Concerning Insults at Her in Strasbourg Emerge
Canadian Leylah Fernandez reacts during her loss to Paula Badosa of Spain during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. , on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Bnp Paribas Open Badosa Vs Fernandez476 The intense dynamic between tennis players and their parent-coaches is back under the microscope.
During the WTA 500 Strasbourg quarterfinals, Leylah Fernandez had a straight-sets loss (6-4, 6-4) to fellow Canadian Victoria Mboko. But it was the brutal on-court dressing-down Leylah received from her father and coach, Jorge Fernandez, which was caught on a microphone and is going viral among concerned fans. Jorge Fernandez’s Harsh Criticism Sparks Concern Over Leylah’s Coaching Future During a break in the match, a visibly frustrated Jorge delivered an unfiltered lecture to his 23-year-old daughter.
Instead of a tactical encouragement, it was more of a criticism, and a pointed comparison of her current struggles to the rising success of her opponent, Mboko, across the net. “She (Mboko) developed that style of play, her dad told me so, from watching us. And you refuse to admit it,” Jorge vented.
He didn’t stop there. He laid into her execution and mental focus: “How many times do I have to shove it right in your face before you finally adjust your game? You have so many open opportunities for parallel shots, and you just blow them all, you blow every single one.
You just don’t want to listen. ” Jorge also asked Leylah something no athlete would like to hear: “Do you actually want to play tennis, or not? It’s not any more complicated than that.