Canadian Leylah Fernandez advances to the WTA’s Japan Open final with win over Cîrstea

By Canadian Press on October 17, 2025.

OSAKA, Japan (AP) — The last remaining seeded player at the WTA’s Japan Open is through to Sunday’s final — Leylah Fernandez defeated 35-year-old Sorana Cîrstea 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

At 4-4 in the deciding set Saturday, Fernandez broke Cîrstea’s serve, then held her own serve in the next game to advance.

The fourth-seeded Canadian player will face either Jaqueline Cristian or 18-year-old Tereza Valentova, a qualifier. Cristian and Valentova played their semifinal later Saturday.

Cristian advanced to the semis when top-seeded Naomi Osaka pulled out with a left leg injury on Friday, giving the Romanian player a walkover in her quarterfinal.

Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up, advanced to her eighth career final. Her only run to a semifinal this season came at the WTA 500 D.C. Open, where she defeated Anna Kalinskaya in the final for her fourth WTA singles title.

Fernandez lost in three sets to Coco Gauff in the second round of the China Open in late September.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

The Associated Press