OSAKA, Japan — Leylah Fernandez beat 18-year-old qualifier Tereza Valentova 6-0, 5-7, 6-3 in the final of the WTA’s Japan Open on Sunday for her fifth career title.
Playing in her eighth career final, the one-time US Open runner-up raced through the first set in 29 minutes, before Valentova settled her nerves in the second set and found a way to level the match when she broke Fernandez in the 12 game.
In the deciding set, the 27th-ranked Fernandez made a crucial break in the fourth game and then fought off a late challenge by the Czech player to claim her second title of the season after taking the WTA 500 D.C. Open in July.
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