Bhubaneswar: Canada’s Leylah Fernandez battled past experienced Romanian Sorana Cîrstea to book her place in the Japan Open final, winning a tight three-set clash 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 in Osaka on Saturday.
Fernandez, the tournament’s fourth seed, started strongly, racing through the opening set with her trademark aggressive returns and pinpoint forehands. But Cîrstea, known for her fighting spirit, roared back in the second, breaking Fernandez twice to level the contest at one set apiece.
The deciding set was a tense affair. Locked at 4-4, Fernandez broke the Romanian’s serve with a deep backhand winner, before holding her nerve to seal the victory with a confident service game. The 22-year-old then raised her arms in delight, greeted by loud cheers from the Osaka crowd.
“This match was all about staying patient,” Fernandez said after her win. “Sorana played incredibly well — I just told myself to stay calm, keep believing, and play one point at a time.”
With the victory, Fernandez advanced to her eighth career final and remains the only seeded player left in the Japan Open draw. Her consistency and composure have stood out all week, and she now has the chance to lift another WTA trophy.
Cîrstea, despite the loss, impressed with her resilience throughout the tournament. The 35-year-old had not dropped a set before the semifinal and pushed Fernandez to her limits with deep, powerful groundstrokes.
As Fernandez now eyes another title in Japan, fans are hoping her inspired run continues. “It’s been a great week,” she added. “The energy here in Osaka is amazing — I can’t wait to play the final.”
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