Leylah Fernandez Advances to the Japan Open Final
The tennis player Leylah Fernandez, the last remaining seed in the WTA Japan Open, has qualified for Sunday’s final after defeating Sorana Cîrstea.
Fernandez, 21 years old, defeated Cîrstea, 35 years old, 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 and then held his own serve in the following game to secure his advance.
The Canadian player, seeded number four, will face qualifier Tereza Valentova, 18 years old, in the final.
Valentova reached the final after defeating Jaqueline Cristian with a score of 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3 in the other semi-final.
Cristian had reached the semifinals after Naomi Osaka, the first seed, withdrew due to a left leg injury.
This will be the eighth final in Fernandez’s career, who was the runner-up at the US Open in 2021.
Her only previous semifinal this season was at the WTA 500 D.C. Open, where she won her fourth WTA singles title by defeating Anna Kalinskaya in the final.
Fernandez was defeated in three sets by Coco Gauff in the second round of the China Open at the end of September.
