Leylah Fernandez needed three sets but eventually got the job done as she defeated Tereza Valentova in the final of the Japan Open.
Fernandez, the runner-up to Emma Raducanu in the US Open final four years ago, has enjoyed a solid season.
And the Canadian scooped her second title of 2025 by claiming a 6-0 5-7 6-3 victory in two hours and 11 minutes on Sunday.
Fernandez looked set to breeze to victory after a first-set bagel, but 18-year-old Valentova, playing in her first WTA Tour-level final, hit back brilliantly to force a decider.
Yet Fernandez’s experience told in the final set, as she capitalised on Valentova’s second serve on break point, dispatching a crisp backhand winner to nudge into a 3-1 lead.
Valentova grabbed a break back, but Fernandez consolidated from there to claim her fifth career trophy.
Fifth career title
First Canadian to win Osaka@leylahfernandez #JapanOpen pic.twitter.com/QfEyHyeC8x
— wta (@WTA) October 19, 2025
Data Debrief: More hard-court glory for Fernandez
All five of Fernandez’s career titles have been won on hard courts.
Indeed, she has reached eight Tour-level finals in total, and only one of those – Eastbourne in 2024 – has been on any other surface than a hard court.
Fernandez will rise up to world number 22 in the WTA rankings come Monday, making her the new Canadian number one, ahead of Victoria Mboko.
AloJapan.com