Canadian Leylah Fernandez got off to a quick start and then had to battle to defeat Tereza Valentova of the Czech Republic 6-0, 5-7, 6-3 in the championship final of the Japan Women’s Open on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old Fernandez, of Laval, Que., needed only 28 minutes to win the first set, but then needed almost two more hours to close it out as the 18-year-old Valentova found her game at the Utsubo Tennis Center in Osaka.
The victory was Fernandez’s second title of 2025 and the fifth of her career, after winning the Washington Open earlier this year.
Fernandez captures 5th WTA career title with victory at Japan Open
After the match, the Canadian thanked her coach and father, Jorge Fernandez, as well as her team and family.
“Thank you so much for suffering with me this past week, past month and past year. I also want to thank my family and loved ones back home. Without you, I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “Without everyone’s sacrifices and support, I wouldn’t be on this stage, so thank you so much for all the love and motivation you’ve given me.”
Fernandez finished with three aces, seven winners and only four unforced errors and two double faults.
She won 43 points while receiving, compared to Valentova’s 31.
Fernandez had a 70 per cent win percentage on first serve and 46 per cent on second serve. She saved five of nine break points, while Valentova saved nine of 16.
Fernandez will stay in Japan to open the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo against Greece’s Maria Sakkari after her originally scheduled match with Toronto’s Victoria Mboko was changed following a draw update.
Mboko will instead face Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., in an all-Canadian first-round matchup.
