Asked why she feels like a better player in the six months since her run to the Wimbledon semis, Fernandez said: “I can let go of my phone for a good amount of time to be more focused and more dedicated to tennis. And I’m just more prepared – I practiced very hard in the off-season with my coach, and I was just better today.
“Around the time of the US Open I decided I needed to be more focused, because I want to be a professional and want that to be my career. So, my dad gave me a choice: use your phone and do whatever you want with it, or just dedicate yourself to tennis.
“I was very happy that he let me make that decision, because it made me more mature, and made me really think about those important life decisions for me. I was able to make it, and I’m very happy right now.”