Canadian fourth seed Leylah Fernandez fended off rising Czech teenager Tereza Valentova 6-0, 5-7, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Osaka Open title at the Utsubo Tennis Center.
Fernandez, ranked No. 27, raced through the first set in less than half an hour, dominating with depth and pace. Valentova, an 18‑year‑old qualifier ranked No. 78, steadied her baseline game to take the second before Fernandez tightened her focus to close out the match after two hours and 11 minutes.
Statistics from the WTA showed Fernandez won 67 percent of her first‑serve points and broke her opponent seven times. Valentova, appearing in her first WTA final, hit no aces and committed four double faults but impressed with aggressive shot‑making that pushed the contest deep into a third set.
Fernandez : “She played like a Top 20”
“I had to fight for every ball tonight,” Fernandez said after the match. “Tereza played like a top‑20 player this week. I just tried to stay calm, trust my serve, and use the crowd’s energy.”
The 23‑year‑old left‑hander collected her second title of the year and fifth overall, adding Osaka to her Washington victory earlier this season. She improved her record in finals to 5‑3.
Fernandez’s road to the final included wins over Hailey Baptiste, Dalma Galfi, Rebecca Sramkova and Sorana Cirstea. Valentova’s breakthrough run featured upset victories over seeded players Elise Mertens and Olga Danilovic, along with wins against Jaqueline Cristian and Alexandra Eala.
“It’s my first time playing someone who’s reached a Grand Slam final,” Valentova said. “I learned so much this week. I’m proud of my performance and I hope to be back here stronger next year.”
Valentova now ranked 58
Fernandez is the first Canadian to win the Kinoshita Group Japan Open (official title) since the tournament began. “Every championship has its own story,” Fernandez said. “This one is special because I stayed patient, even when momentum shifted. That’s what champions have to do.”
Fernandez will be ranked 22th on Monday, still far from her best (13th after her final at the 2021 US Open) while Valentova, born in 2007, will earn 20 places to be ranked number 58.
AloJapan.com