Leylah Fernandez channels grit to claim Osaka crown

In the crisp October light of Osaka’s Kinoshita Group Japan Open, Leylah Fernandez stepped onto the court carrying the weight of a season marked by fleeting consistency. The fourth seed faced 18-year-old qualifier Tereza Valentova in the final, a debutant whose improbable run had already toppled seeds. Fernandez asserted early dominance, racing through the first eight points and seven games to bagel her opponent in under 30 minutes, her crosscourt forehands and inside-out backhands dictating a baseline tempo that left the young Czech scrambling.

Bagel exposes inexperience under pressure

Valentova’s visible emotion during the 5-0 changeover captured the intensity of her first WTA final, a moment that tested her resolve amid the crowd’s growing hum. Fernandez’s tactical edge shone through precise returning patterns that neutralized the qualifier’s serves, pinning her deep and forcing errors on the medium-paced hard courts. This opener echoed Fernandez’s hard-court affinity, where all five of her titles have unfolded, her aggressive one–two combinations setting a tone of unyielding control.

She reflected on the match’s emotional layers later, praising her opponent’s fight while acknowledging the support that sustained her through recent struggles.

Valentova’s fightback forces decider

Regrouping with newfound freedom, Valentova broke Fernandez three times in the second set, her bolder net approaches and deeper groundstrokes disrupting the Canadian’s rhythm and leading to unforced errors. The qualifier consolidated the final game to even the score at one set all, her underspin slices extending rallies and capitalizing on the surface’s true bounce. Fernandez, whose back-to-back wins had been scarce since her July triumph in Washington, D.C., adapted by varying her serve placement, but the decider loomed with the Osaka arena’s energy shifting toward the underdog.

Valentova’s resilience mirrored her week’s feats, including straight-sets upsets over world No. 21 Elise Mertens and a dominant first-round win against Alexandra Eala, dropping just three games. She had clawed back from set deficits in qualifying against Greet Minnen and in main-draw victories over Olga Danilovic and Jaqueline Cristian, three top-50 scalps that propelled her into uncharted territory. Fernandez drew on her experience to steady the ship, her five-match run here marking just the second such streak of 2025.

Decider hinges on second-serve poise

Leading 2-1 in the third, Fernandez pounced on break point against Valentova’s second serve, unleashing a crosscourt backhand return followed by a down-the-line backhand winner to forge a 3-1 lead. The tactic exploited the teenager’s tentative delivery under pressure, allowing the Canadian to reclaim control with steady holds bolstered by slice defenses. Valentova responded with one break to narrow it to 4-3 and generated several more chances, her inside-out forehands probing Fernandez’s backhand side amid rising crowd murmurs, but the seed held firm to close out the 6-3 victory in 2 hours and 11 minutes.

🏆 Fifth career title
🇨🇦 First Canadian to win Osaka@leylahfernandez 👏#JapanOpen pic.twitter.com/QfEyHyeC8x

— wta (@WTA) October 19, 2025

This win vaults Fernandez five spots to No. 22 in the live rankings, reclaiming the Canadian No. 1 position from Victoria Mboko and etching her as the first from her country to lift the Osaka trophy. She bowed to the fans in celebration, their support a vital undercurrent through the tournament’s intensity. “I also want to thank the fans,” she added. “For coming this week, for supporting us—not only myself but every player in this tournament. Without you, we wouldn’t be here, so thank you so much for supporting us, motivating us and bringing the good energy.”

Turning inward, Fernandez’s voice carried the season’s toll. “Finally, I want to thank my team and my dad, who’s also my coach, and my hitting partner,” she said. “Thank you so much for suffering with me this past week, past month and past year. I also want to thank my family and loved ones back home. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. Without everyone’s sacrifices and support, I wouldn’t be on this stage, so thank you so much for all the love and motivation you’ve given me.” Her praise for Valentova extended in the ceremony, highlighting the mutual respect that defined the final’s human edge.

For the runner-up, the defeat carries promise despite the sting; her six wins this week, including those comebacks, will lift her 20 places to a career-high No. 58 come Monday. The hard courts rewarded her flat-hitting power, a style that could flourish further as she navigates the tour’s demands.

Doubles pair harmonizes for inaugural win

Shifting to the net on Saturday, No. 2 seeds Taylor Townsend and Kristina Mladenovic navigated a seesaw doubles final, defeating Storm Hunter and Desirae Krawczyk 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 in the super-tiebreak to claim their first title as a team. Townsend’s athletic volleys and poach patterns meshed with Mladenovic’s finesse, exploiting the surface’s speed for quick points and turning momentum in the decider. This victory marks Townsend’s 11th career doubles trophy and fourth of 2025, completing a seasonal sweep across WTA 250, 500, 1000, and Grand Slam levels while ending a two-final losing streak.

🌟 Osaka Doubles Champions 🌟@TaylorTownsend 🤝 @KikiMladenovic #JapanOpen pic.twitter.com/HFVlejgW63

— wta (@WTA) October 18, 2025

Mladenovic, a former doubles world No. 1 with nine Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed, secures her first crown of the year, bringing her total to 29. Their synergy on Osaka’s hard courts—blending power and placement—hints at deeper runs ahead, as both eye year-end consolidations amid the tour’s competitive doubles landscape. Fernandez’s singles breakthrough, paired with this doubles harmony, underscores the event’s role in reshaping trajectories, where tactical adjustments and mental fortitude propel players toward fresh horizons on the global circuit.