Leylah Fernandez Advances to the Japan Open Final
OSAKA, Japan – The last seeded player in the WTA Japan Open, Leylah Fernandez, has secured her place in Sunday’s final after defeating Sorana Cîrstea. Fernandez defeated Cîrstea with a score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. In the decisive set, with the score tied at 4-4, Fernandez managed to break Cîrstea’s serve. Subsequently, she held her own serve in the next game, securing her advance to the final. The Canadian tennis player, ranked as the fourth seed, will face Tereza Valentova in the final, an 18-year-old player coming from the qualifying phase. Valentova reached the final after defeating Jaqueline Cristian with a score of 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3 in the other semifinal. Cristian had reached the semifinals thanks to the withdrawal of Naomi Osaka, the top seed, who retired due to a left leg injury.This is the eighth final for Fernandez, who was the runner-up at the US Open in 2021.
