OSAKA, Japan — Leylah Fernandez, the sole remaining seeded player at the WTA Japan Open, secured her place in Sunday’s final after a hard-fought victory over Sorana Cîrstea. The Canadian star triumphed 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 in a gripping semifinal match on Saturday. The decisive moment came at 4-4 in the final set, where Fernandez broke Cîrstea’s serve and held her own to seal the win. Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up, now advances to her eighth career final. She will face either Jaqueline Cristian or 18-year-old qualifier Tereza Valentova, who contested their semifinal later in the day. Cristian’s path to the semis was eased when top-seeded Naomi Osaka withdrew due to a left leg injury on Friday, granting her a walkover in the quarterfinals. Fernandez’s journey this season has been marked by resilience, with her only semifinal appearance prior to this coming at the WTA 500 D.C. Open, where she clinched her fourth WTA singles title. Despite a recent setback in the China Open, where she fell to Coco Gauff in three sets, Fernandez has demonstrated her tenacity and skill on the court, setting the stage for an exciting final in Osaka.
Canadian Leylah Fernandez advances to the WTA’s Japan Open final with win over Cîrstea
