“Thank You”- Leylah Fernandez Breaks Down in Emotional Tribute Following Sad Demise of Beloved Family Member

Leylah Fernandez just lost a final in Tokyo, but that wasn’t the hardest part of her Sunday. The Canadian stood on the platform holding the microphone and told the crowd that she had received news from home that morning and that, as a result, she had spoken before the sentence. Fernandez had been beaten by Diana Shnaider in the final of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. Her runner-up speech was the standard thanks, and then she moved on to her family. “I just want to thank my family who’s back home,” she said.