Sunday's (July 27) Washington Open women's singles final was a memorable outing for a former Grand Slam runner-up, as it secured the biggest title of her tennis career to date.
Leylah Fernandez, defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-1 6-2 in DC, to win her first WTA Tour 500 event.
It is also the first tournament she has won in America as her previous wins came at 250 level events in Mexico and Hong Kong.
The Canadian's commanding win came in just over an hour and was a much more straightforward affair than her semi-final contest with Elena Rybakina, which lasted over three hours as all three sets were decided by a tie-break.
Fernandez' most challenging moment in the final came during the opening set at 1-1, as Kalinskaya had two break points.
However, Kalinskaya failed to convert either and did not get another break opportunity for the remainder of the contest as Fernandez began to dominate proceedings from that moment onwards.
Whilst Kalinskya failed to break her opponent at any time, Fernandez converted four out of her six break points during the final, with two each in both sets.
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Fernandez' reaction and what's next for her?
The Canadian, who was a finalist at the 2021 US Open, was full of praise for those in her inner circle after winning in Washington.
"I want to thank my team, my coaches for being here all week with me and putting up with my antics and superstitions", the champion said in her post-match speech.
"I want to dedicate this trophy to my mom, my older sister, and to my fitness trainer, Abdul Sillah. You guys have been fighting, and still are fighting, so thank you so much for never giving up on me."
In addition to beating the third seed, Rybakina, in the last four, Fernandez' run to the final included a stunning upset of top seed Jessica Pegula, in the Round of 16.
The tournament victory adds to the three tournament wins Fernandez has on the WTA Tour, and will see her jump 12 places up to 24 in the latest WTA singles rankings.
Fernandez will next be in action at the Canadian Open in Montreal, with her first match scheduled for Tuesday (July 29) against Australia's Maya Joint.
Just like in Washington, the 22-year-old will be unseeded for the 1000 event in her home city.
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