Diana Shnaider of Russia had to dig deep on Sunday in Tokyo, but she fended 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, but Fernandez bounced back with a gritty 7-5 win to force a third and deciding set. Shnaider had more in the tank, winning the final set 6-2 in a match that lasted two hours and 19 minutes.
Stats tell the story
Fernandez, of Laval, Quebec, committed five unforced errors and five double faults in the final. Shnaider hit two aces and served no double faults.
Shnaider won six of 15 return games and 11 of 15 service games. Fernandez won four of 15 return games and 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 Mia Pohankova of Slovakia 6-4, 7-6 (7) in her semifinal.
Doubles final to follow
Later on Sunday, Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and her partner Luisa Stefani of Brazil were scheduled to contest the women’s doubles final against Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.