Shnaider closes out the Tokyo final
Diana Shnaider claimed the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis title on Sunday in Tokyo, defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 across 2 hours and 19 minutes. The Russian entered as the third seed and world No. 13, and the victory delivered the sixth singles trophy of her professional career. She converted six of the eight break points she created over the course of the match.[S1][S4]
Fernandez, seeded and ranked No. 30, took the middle set 7-5 to force a decider, but her serve faltered at key moments: she recorded five double faults while Shnaider committed none. The Canadian was competing in her second final in as many weeks, having lost to Elena Rybakina in Ningbo the previous week.[S1][S6]
How both players reached the championship match
Shnaider's most demanding contest came in the quarter-finals, where she dropped the opening set before overcoming eighth seed Alexandra Eala 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in 2 hours and 53 minutes. She then defeated wildcard Mia Pohankova 6-4, 7-6 (7) in the semi-finals, and earlier beat qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the second round.[S1]
Fernandez opened with a 6-2, 6-4 win over wildcard Himeno Sakatsume, then eliminated fifth seed Elise Mertens 6-2, 7-6 (8). In the quarter-finals she advanced without playing when top seed Elena Rybakina withdrew with a walkover, and she followed that with a 7-5, 6-3 semi-final victory over lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova.[S1]
