Russian Diana Shnaider had to dig deep on Sunday in Tokyo, but she held off Canadian challenger Leylah Fernandez to win the women’s singles title at the Japan Open.
The third-seeded Shnaider won the first set of the best-of-three final 6-4. Fernandez bounced back with a gritty 7-5 win to force a third and deciding set. Shnaider appeared to have more in the tank, taking the final set 6-2 in a match that lasted two hours and 19 minutes.
Fernandez Falls Short in Decider
Fernandez, of Laval, Que., committed five unforced errors and five double faults in the final. Her opponent hit two aces and did not serve a double fault.
Shnaider won six of 15 return games and 11 of 15 service games. Fernandez won four of 15 return games and only nine of 15 service games.
Path to the Final
Fernandez reached the final with a 7-5, 6-3 semifinal victory on Friday over Russian-born Uzbekistani Kamilla Rakhimova. Shnaider outlasted Slovakia’s Mia Pohankova 6-4, 7-6 (7) in her semifinal.
Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and her partner, Brazil’s Luisa Stefani, were scheduled to play later in the day in the women’s doubles final against Italy’s Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.