Leylah Fernandez stood on the podium, fighting back tears. She had finished an eloquent runner-up speech, looking as if all she wanted was to disappear underneath the stands of Arthur Ashe Stadium and get a hug from her family. But she prolonged her anguish for a few more minutes.
Fernandez, who had just lost in the U.S. Open women’s final, asked for the microphone back.
“I know on this day, it’s especially hard for New York and everyone around the United States,” she said, referring to the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “I just want to say that I hope I can be as strong and resilient as New York has been the last 20 years.