With Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu both playing at the ASB Classic, it’s natural that there’s been plenty of talk about that US Open final from 2021 when both players became instant superstars.

Raducanu won 6-4 6-3, but it was the moment where the next chapter of women’s tennis began.

Iga Świątek may have become the player to beat over the last year and neither Fernandez and Raducanu have reached those same dizzying heights of being in a grand slam final since.

But those two, along with Coco Gauff, the forgotten about Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina, Xiyu Wang and Linda Fruhvirtova are all part of a new wave of women’s tennis players, likely to dominate the sport.

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Unlike Raducanu, who on Saturday said she had watched back her matches from that 2021 US Open and reflected on them, Fernandez says that’s not been the case with her.

“I always try to not think about the past, think about the present and keep moving forward,” Fernandez said.

“Lately, I haven’t been thinking about the US Open final, but I do know in passing how much people enjoyed that match and that tournament a lot, because they saw the difference in the next generation of players making their way up in the rankings and making a difference in women’s tennis and now in men’s tennis too.

“So I’m super happy to be a part of that small history and hopefully I can keep building and improving.”

Raducanu’s ranking has dropped down to 78 since that US Open final, while Fernandez is at 40. She won the WTA tournament in Monterey last year and also reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, but otherwise 2022 was a patchy year for the 20-year-old.

Even so, she does feel she’s a player continuing to improve.

“I do think I’m a much better player now than what I was a couple of years ago,” she said.

“I’ve been working a lot on my fitness side of the game. Yes, I was fast, but I also know that I can become stronger and a bit more solid, get the body into a place where I can have full confidence in it.

“Right now I’m super happy with where I’m at and I think that’s what has improved a lot. “It’s not only given me confidence in playing matches, but also with my tennis. That whatever shot comes my way, I can find a solution to it, to bring it back.”

Fernandez’s goal is to be more consistent in going deep at tournaments in 2023 and she has the potential to be someone firmly ensconced in the top 10.

To achieve her wish she doesn’t want to change the player she is and tone down her aggressive style of player.

Fernandez is someone who an hit incredible winners from deep balls and is willing to take risks in points, and she says that’s not going to change.

“That will always be my natural way of playing,” she said.

“I don’t see it as a risk for me, I see it more that if I see the opportunity I go for it. It’s my style of game. More of a risk for me is not to go for it, not to hit the winner.

“Players are bigger than me, stronger than me and they’re going to get to those balls if I just put the ball back in, hoping for a mistake. That’s not going to happen at the higher level.

“So I’m going to just keep playing my game and of course, with every match I am going to be very critical about myself, but also I have a great team with me, who will tell me what I did wrong and what I did right and can help me through that process.”

This is Fernandez’s second time at the Classic, but in her first visit, in 2020, she was relatively unknown and went out in the first round of qualifying, losing to Paula Badosa from Spain, who is now ranked No 13 in the world.

It’s a match that would be fitting of a WTA final these days, but shows how far both players have come over the last three years. However, Fernandez admits it hasn’t been an easy journey.

“It’s been super tough,” she said.

“More mentally and emotionally, because you don’t really know what the future holds for you.

“You have these big dreams and sometimes you get knocked down and feel like that’s the end of the journey.

“But I was lucky enough to have support staff. I have a great family that’s with me and keep telling me that things are going to be alright. They’ve pushed me and giving me motivation to not quit and to keep enjoying the moment.

“It’s more enjoying the journey than the end result and I think that is what’s helped me a lot.

“I hope that more players can see that and not just think about the end of the journey.”