Filipino-Canadian Leylah Fernandez withdraws from Hong Kong Open due to shoulder injury

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
November 05, 2026

Photo courtesy: CTV News

Filipino-Canadian tennis star Leylah Fernandez has withdrawn from the 2026 Hong Kong Tennis Open after sustaining a shoulder injury, cutting short her campaign following two consecutive runner-up finishes on the WTA Tour.

The 24-year-old Canadian was scheduled to face American Sofia Kenin in the opening round on Wednesday, November 4. However, tournament organizers announced her withdrawal before the match.

Fernandez apologized to supporters who had hoped to see her compete.

“I am sorry to the fans who come to watch me. I hope to be back next year and play in front of you again,” she said in a message shared by tournament organizers.

Her withdrawal follows a strong run across Asia that lifted her back into the world’s top 20 for the first time in more than four years.

Fernandez reached the final of the Ningbo Open in China, where she lost to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina. A week later, she finished runner-up at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo after falling to Russia’s Diana Shnaider on November 1.

Those performances helped her climb five places to world No. 18.

Fernandez, whose mother is Filipino-Canadian, has a successful history at the Hong Kong tournament. She captured the women’s singles championship in 2023 and had been hoping to add another title to her record.

With Fernandez unable to compete, British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic entered the draw as a lucky loser and faced Kenin instead.

Stojsavljevic went on to defeat the former Australian Open champion 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to advance to the second round.

Tournament organizers confirmed that Fernandez’s withdrawal was due to a shoulder injury, but further details about its severity and her expected recovery period have not been announced.