Fernandez Battles Back to Reach Final
Canada's Leylah Fernandez secured a place in the Singapore Tennis Open final with a three-set victory over Poland's Maja Chwalinska on Saturday. The sixth-seeded Fernandez, who hails from Laval, Quebec, won 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 against the fifth-seeded Chwalinska. This marks Fernandez's first final appearance this season and the ninth of her professional career.[S1]
The 24-year-old struggled early, losing her first three service games and managing only one point on return as Chwalinska, a French Open finalist in June, surged to a 5-0 lead. Fernandez briefly extended the opening set by breaking the Pole in the sixth game, but then dropped her own serve to concede the set.[S1]
Fernandez recovered in the second set, taking a 2-0 lead. With the set tied at 4-4, a backhand swinging volley secured a break against Chwalinska, and Fernandez then served out the set. In the third, she seized control with back-to-back breaks for a 4-1 advantage and held on for the win.[S1]
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Despite hitting 31 winners to Chwalinska's 15, Fernandez also recorded 43 unforced errors compared to her opponent's 28. She will now face Australia's Talia Gibson in Sunday's final, the first meeting between the two. Fernandez is ranked 31st in the world, while Gibson is 63rd.[S1]
Gibson Advances Via Walkover
Australia's Talia Gibson reached the final after defeating Russia's Tatiana Prozorova in a walkover. Prozorova stated she was unfairly withdrawn from the semifinal due to a doctor's concerns about a concussion. She had been struck in the face by a ball during a doubles quarterfinal, which prompted the assessment.[S1]
Title on the Line
Fernandez is seeking her sixth career title and her first since October 2025, when she won the Kinoshita Group Japan Open in Osaka. The final is scheduled for Sunday in Singapore.[S1]
