TORONTO — Leylah Fernandez’s run at the Canadian Open isn’t done yet.

The Canadian trounced Mirra Andreeva, the world No. 5 and French Open champion, in straight sets 6-1, 6-4, Friday afternoon to advance to the round of 16. After losing in the first round a year ago in Montreal, her birthplace, Fernandez has matched her best result at the Canadian Open.

“It means a lot, especially knowing that I’ve been training so well, so hard,” Fernandez said while eating a Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream bar covered in chocolate, a superstition that’s accompanied each of her victories this week.

“It’s going to help with the confidence, but we all know that on the next day everything starts at zero, everybody has a chance to go to the next round. So, just got to keep working hard, and keep having that mentality of fighting.”

Fernandez entered the match with something to prove. After winning her opening match in Toronto against Renata Zarazúa, her third-round clash against Andreeva was slated for the day session. Fernandez found out about the scheduling Thursday and was a “bit upset,” even though she appreciated tournament organizers providing ample warning. The rationale was Andreeva had a doubles match scheduled for Friday night.

Still, that added motivation for Fernandez, who mentally reset with her team before the match.

“My team and I just said, ‘Got to win to get an evening match,’” Fernandez said.

Leylah Fernandez, take a bow. 👏

She gets her first top 10 win in over a year, defeating Andreeva 6-1, 6-4.#NBO26 pic.twitter.com/ZOcqHp2Jmu

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 7, 2026

Fernandez started fast against Andreeva. After both players held serve, Fernandez rattled off five consecutive games to take the opening set in 31 minutes. The 23-year-old was 13 of 13 on first-serve points, controlling the rallies while Andreeva piled up unforced errors.

Andreeva had 19 unforced errors in the first set. The goal for Fernandez was keeping the ball in play.

“There have been times where I just want to finish the point quickly, and in that moment I was like, no, trust in my abilities, trust in my fitness,” Fernandez said. “I know I can endure long rallies, long matches. So if it’s going to take a hundred balls to hit to put it in to break her down, then so be it.”

On set point, Fernandez served up the T, and Andreeva blasted a forehand long, giving Fernandez the set. She fist-pumped as the Canadian supporters inside Sobeys Stadium roared in approval.

Andreeva exited the court to gather herself. When she returned, Fernandez’s domination continued, breaking Andreeva to start the second set as the No. 5 seed’s serve continued to falter. Not only was Fernandez hitting her groundstrokes deep, but she was also mixing up her shots. In the third game of the second set, Fernandez connected on a forehand return down the line for the winner. Then she showcased a nifty drop shot, bringing Andreeva forward for a return attempt that resulted in another unforced error. Fernandez took a commanding double-break lead while giving very little to Andreeva.

The end of the second set could’ve been a disaster for Fernandez. Up 5-2, Fernandez served for the match, only for Andreeva to break her. With Andreeva holding, Fernandez got a second chance to close out the match. She didn’t squander the opportunity.

“It wasn’t going to be straightforward,” Fernandez said. “I think for me it was just to keep believing in myself in that moment. And to look at my box, look at my team, and use their energy as motivation to keep going, that I am doing a good job, and it’s just a matter of keep believing it and executing.”

With the match hers, she screamed to her box in the stands as the fans gave her a standing ovation. She waved and blew kisses to the crowd, beaming with joy for her biggest match win of the year.

“The crowd has just been super amazing,” Fernandez said. “They motivate me so much in fighting and keeping disciplined and putting on a good show.”

Before this week, it had been a lackluster 2026 for Fernandez. She’d won just 13 WTA Tour matches this year, losing in the first round of all three Grand Slams. Her best result at a WTA 1000 was reaching the Madrid quarterfinal. In Madrid, Andreeva beat Fernandez in a close match, 7-6 (1), 6-3, showcasing the Canadian’s potential against top-ranked opponents. Entering Friday, however, Fernandez was 0-4 against top-10 players, her most recent loss to fellow Canadian Victoria Mboko at Strasbourg.

That changed with her rout of Andreeva. The last time Fernandez reached the round of 16 at the Canadian Open came in 2023 in Montreal. Now, as the lone Canadian in the singles events for both ATP and WTA 1000 tournaments in Canada, Fernandez is chasing a career-best result in her home country. She will face the winner of four-time Slam champion Naomi Osaka and No. 20 seed Elise Mertens in the round of 16.

Friday was the first anniversary of Mboko winning the Canadian Open in Montreal. A year later, Fernandez is the one providing Canadian tennis fans with excitement as the tournament marches toward its final stages.