Canadian tennis star Leylah Fernandez continues to make headlines, capturing her second WTA Tour title of 2025 with a gritty victory over Czech teenager Tereza Valentova in the Japan Women’s Open final on October 19, 2025. The 23-year-old from Laval, Quebec, delivered a performance that showcased both her explosive talent and her determination, defeating the 18-year-old Valentova 6-0, 5-7, 6-3 at the Utsubo Tennis Center in Osaka. The win adds another trophy to Fernandez’s growing collection, marking her fifth career WTA singles title and further cementing her status as one of the most exciting players on the women’s circuit.
It was a match of two halves—well, three, to be precise. Fernandez came out firing, needing only 28 minutes to sweep the first set 6-0, leaving spectators and commentators alike wondering if the final would be a quick affair. But Valentova, showing maturity beyond her years, regrouped and pushed Fernandez to the limit, snatching the second set 7-5 after nearly an hour of high-octane rallies and break-point drama. The deciding set saw Fernandez steady her nerves, ultimately prevailing 6-3 as she converted her opportunities and displayed the kind of resilience that has become her trademark.
After the match, Fernandez was quick to credit her support system. "Thank you so much for suffering with me this past week, past month and past year. I also want to thank my family and loved ones back home. Without you, I wouldn’t be here," she said in her on-court interview. "Without everyone’s sacrifices and support, I wouldn’t be on this stage, so thank you so much for all the love and motivation you’ve given me." Her words resonated with fans who have followed her journey from promising junior to Grand Slam finalist and now, a consistent title contender on the WTA Tour.
Statistically, Fernandez’s performance in the final was as impressive as her composure. She struck three aces and seven winners, while limiting herself to just four unforced errors and two double faults. Her first serve was particularly effective, winning 70% of those points, and she showed tenacity under pressure by saving five of nine break points faced. On the return, she won 43 points compared to Valentova’s 31, a testament to her aggressive baseline play and tactical awareness. Valentova, for her part, saved nine of 16 break points, making Fernandez work for every inch in the latter stages.
The Japan Open title is Fernandez’s second of the year, following her triumph at the Washington Open (Mubadala Citi Open) in August. That victory in the U.S. capital was notable not only for the quality of opponents she overcame—including top-10 players Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina—but also for marking a turning point in her season. Earlier in 2025, Fernandez had struggled with consistency, winning just six of 17 WTA Tour-level singles matches between February and July. It was a period that tested her resolve and even led her to consider taking a break from the sport. However, her resurgence in Washington, and now in Osaka, has silenced any doubts about her form or her future prospects.
Fernandez’s 2025 campaign has seen her match the title hauls of WTA top-10 players Amanda Anisimova and Mirra Andreeva, and she has even surpassed world number eight Jasmine Paolini in terms of trophies lifted this year. Her ability to beat top-tier talent is well documented—back in February, she stunned eighth seed Emma Navarro at the Qatar Open, reaching the round of 16. She’s also had her share of near-misses, pushing Naomi Osaka to three sets in Wuhan and losing a pair of tight tie-breaks to Paolini at the Bad Homburg Open. These results underscore both her potential and the fine margins that separate victory from defeat at the highest level.
With her latest triumph, Fernandez is set to climb five spots in the WTA rankings, moving back into the top 25 at world number 22. This return to form puts her in a much stronger position for the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments, where a top-32 seeding could mean more favorable early-round draws. While her career-high ranking remains 13, achieved in 2022, Fernandez’s recent run suggests she may be poised for another push toward the sport’s elite—provided she can maintain the consistency that has sometimes eluded her.
Of course, Fernandez is not the only Canadian making waves on the WTA Tour. The country boasts a talented contingent, including 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and rising teenager Victoria Mboko. Andreescu, now 25, has battled injuries in recent years but continues to mentor her compatriots and compete at the highest level. Mboko, just 19, made headlines earlier in 2025 by winning her home tournament and defeating four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka—a result that turned heads across the tennis world. The camaraderie among the Canadians was on display in Tokyo, where Andreescu and Mboko teamed up in doubles at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, even as they faced off in singles in an all-Canadian first-round clash.
For Fernandez, the action doesn’t stop in Osaka. She has chosen to remain in Japan for the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, where she’s slated to open her campaign against Greece’s Maria Sakkari. A win there would set up a potential showdown with world number seven Elena Rybakina, who needs two victories in Tokyo to qualify for the 2025 WTA Finals. The field is stacked, and the stakes are high—not just for Fernandez, but for the entire upper echelon of the women’s game as the season draws to a close.
Looking back, it’s remarkable to consider how far Fernandez has come since her breakthrough run to the US Open final in 2021. While she’s yet to crack the WTA top 10, her trajectory remains upward. Her fifth career singles title at the Japan Open is a testament to her perseverance, adaptability, and the unwavering support of her team and family. If she can continue to string together performances like these—and perhaps find just a bit more week-to-week steadiness—there’s every reason to believe she’ll soon be knocking on the door of the sport’s elite.
As the tennis world turns its attention to Tokyo and the final events of the season, all eyes will be on Fernandez to see if she can ride her Osaka momentum even further. For now, though, she can savor a hard-earned victory and the knowledge that she’s once again among the WTA’s most intriguing and dangerous contenders.
