Fernandez grinds into Japan Open final clash
Leylah Fernandez survives a three-set semifinal scare in Osaka, positioning her for a tense showdown with 18-year-old qualifier Tereza Valentova on the fast hard courts.
In the humid embrace of Osaka’s Utsubo Tennis Center, Leylah Fernandez emerged as the tournament’s last seeded survivor, powering through a 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 semifinal win over 35-year-old Sorana Cîrstea to reach the Japan Open final. The Canadian’s blend of baseline tenacity and timely aggression carried her past the veteran Romanian, whose sharp returns tested her resolve under the afternoon sun. Now, with Sunday’s title match on the horizon, Fernandez faces a fresh challenge from an unheralded teen qualifier, the air buzzing with the promise of an upset-laden decider.
Mid-match adjustments prove decisive
Fernandez controlled the opener with crisp crosscourt forehands that exploited the slower hard-court bounce, forcing Cîrstea into defensive lobs and unforced errors. But the second set saw the Romanian rally, her down-the-line backhands slicing through the Canadian’s rhythm and leveling the scoreline. Drawing on her experience, Fernandez reset in the decider, stepping inside the baseline at 4-4 to snag a crucial break with a deep return that induced a forehand mishit.
She followed by holding serve, varying her placement wide to the deuce side in a one–two pattern that kept Cîrstea guessing and sealed the victory amid rising crowd cheers. This resilience mirrors her season’s highs and lows; her only semifinal run came at the WTA 500 D.C. Open, where she outlasted Anna Kalinskaya in the final for her fourth singles title, using underspin backhands to disrupt aggressive play. A recent three-set defeat to Coco Gauff in Beijing’s second round had lingered, but here, Fernandez channeled that frustration into focused execution.
Valentova surges through qualifiers
Across the draw, 18-year-old qualifier Tereza Valentova crafted her breakthrough, outlasting Jaqueline Cristian 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3 in a semifinal grind that highlighted her flat groundstrokes zipping crosscourt with youthful precision. The Czech teen entered unseeded but gained momentum from Cristian’s quarterfinal walkover after top-seeded Naomi Osaka withdrew with a left leg injury. Valentova’s endurance shone under the stadium lights, her down-the-line winners turning the match into a baseline duel of attrition.
For Fernandez, this marks her eighth career final, building on her 2021 US Open runner-up pedigree amid a year of building pressure. The Japan Open’s moderate-paced hard courts suit her all-court variety, from slice approaches to inside-out forehands, yet Valentova’s consistent returns could extend rallies and test her stamina.
Sunday final tests experience versus youth
As the showdown approaches, tactical edges come into play on a surface that rewards first-strike tennis and precise footwork. Fernandez’s ability to mix pace with drop shots and angles might slow the qualifier’s aggressive serving, much like her D.C. success. Valentova, riding a wave of qualifier grit, brings fearless power that could force errors in prolonged exchanges.
The winner stands to spark a late-season rankings boost, with Fernandez eyeing a top-20 push and the teen a potential 150-spot leap. In a field reshaped by early exits, this final pulses with redemption and discovery, the humid Osaka night primed for a mental battle where composure could crown the champion.