MANILA, Philippines — Leylah Fernandez has the chance to end the best season of her career so far with a bang.
This as the tennister was nominated for Most Improved Player of the Year in the 2021 WTA Player Awards.
Fernandez, hailing from Canada with Filipino and Ecuadorian roots, reached new heights this year as she zoomed to a career-best No. 24 in the WTA rankings after a stellar season that included a Finals run in the US Open.
The 19-year-old catapulted to popularity following her Cinderella run in New York where she beat WTA Top 5 players Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina, and Aryna Sabalenka en route to the Final.
Though losing to Great Britain's Emma Raducanu in the Final, Fernandez made sure her run was memorable as she also became a darling of the fans with her entertaining upsets in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Fernandez then followed it up with a Round of 16 finish in Women's Singles at Indian Wells.
In Doubles, she reached the quarterfinal with fellow teen tennis star Coco Gauff.
Earlier in the year, Fernandez also won her first-ever WTA title in March at the Monterrey Open.
Also nominated for the award is Greece's Maria Sakkari, who Raducanu beat in the US Open semifinals to set up the clash with Fernandez.
The likes of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, and Simona Halep were once recepients of the award.
Raducanu, meanwhile, is nominated for WTA Player of the Year with her historic win at the US Open.
Raducanu became the first-ever qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam.
She is also nominated for the WTA Newcomer of the Year plum.
Joining the English tennister as nominees for Player of the Year is World No. 1 Ash Barty, Japan's Osaka, and Belarus' Sabalenka.
Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova, Spain's Garbine Muguruza, and Poland's Iga Swiatek round up the shortlist for the award.