Former tennis Barbara Schett made some disturbing claims against her father and coach Leylah Fernandez, Jorge Fernandez. Her comments come in the midst of controversy around Elena Rybakin and her former coach, Stefan Vukov.
Rybakina and Vuk’s situation have been the main conversation for months, and worrying details have emerged regarding his treatment of her. Reports suggest that their relationship spread outside the professional level, and it was verbally violent, causing it to be significant trouble. Although she is still part of her team, WTA forbade him to train professionally for a year.
In a recent interview for Rebel Magazine, Schett supported the wolf’s ban, calling his treatment Rybakina Completely unacceptable. She also accused Fernandez’s father Jorge of acting “crazy”, persuading to call him soon.
“We know that she (Rybakina) mentally has big ups and downs, probably because of him. He definitely mentally abused her, and that’s why I think he’s fine that he was banned by WTA,” Schett said.
She added:
“I am also curious to see what is happening to Father Leylah Fernandez because the way he treats her daughter is crazy … It’s scary that something like this still exists today and is sometimes accepted.”
Fernandez and her sister Bianca have been training their father Jorge since childhood. Former football player without a tennis background, he still played a key role on his daughter’s rise, which led her to the finals of the US Open 2021, where she ended with winner Emma Raducan.
Leylah Fernandez never launched a problem with Father Jorge training
The allegations made by Barbara Schett against Father Leylah Fernandez, Jorge, never raised the Canadian or anyone from her team. On the contrary, she consistently deserved her father for her success, touching his role in the construction of mental toughness.
Fernandez Told reporters during the Australian Open 2023:
“For me, it is mentally physical to three to one. It is mentally important. I am very grateful that my parents, especially my father, intensified it.”
She added:
“He didn’t really teach me about tennis or technique, but more mental sides of the sport. Because it’s hard. You’re all alone in the field. Most of the time you don’t have a coach with you, or a coach can’t talk to you during points.”
“You have to understand some things, you have to be your own fan, your own biggest critic, my own biggest fan. I am happy that he has taught me these values from a young age and that I could do it somehow now,” she continued.
The only controversy involved in Jorge Fernandez happened during the Wuhan Open 2024, during his daughter’s match against Zheng Qinwen. Chinese player regretted If Jorge was constantly cheering for Leylah, he was disturbed and distracted by her rhythm.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh
