For the six Canadians entered in the 2022 U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the season is a place where they've created indelible memories, and also suffered crushing disappointments.
Their mission this year is to create more of the former and relegate the latter into their tennis rear-view mirror.
Fernandez, who will turn 20 during the second week of the tournament, has since risen to a world ranking of No. 14. She has signed multiple sponsorship deals and is now an established presence on the WTA Tour who is no longer the hunter, but among the hunted. The 22-year-old will face Swiss qualifier Alexander Ritschard in the first round Monday. But Medvedev looms in the quarterfinals.
It's been a struggle since then with injuries, the pandemic and time outs to take care of her mental well-being.Currently ranked No. 48, Andreescu faces Harmony Tan, the obscure French player who ended Williams's comeback at Wimbledon in the first round last month.