Leylah Fernandez reaches Tokyo final after beating Rakhimova
Canada’s Leylah Fernandez reached the final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Saturday, beating Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 7-5, 6-3 in the semi-finals. The world No. 23 fought back from a break down in both sets to win in just under two hours.
Rakhimova, ranked No. 66 in the world, had lost in qualifying but entered the main draw as a lucky loser and still reached the last four. Fernandez got there after top seed Elena Rybakina withdrew from their quarter-final with a neck injury, a day after Rybakina secured the year-end world No. 1 ranking.
It is Fernandez’s third final of a strong Asian swing. She won her first title of the season in Singapore in September, then finished runner-up at last week’s Ningbo Open, where she lost to world No. 1 Rybakina. A win in Tokyo would be the seventh WTA Tour title of her career, and Fernandez praised her ‘mental fortitude’ after the match.
She will face Russia’s Diana Shnaider, ranked No. 13, in Sunday’s final. Shnaider beat 18-year-old Slovakian Mia Pohankova 6-4, 7-6 (9/7) in the other semi-final and is chasing her first title of the year.
Why it matters
Fernandez, 24, has found her best form late in the season, turning a year without a title before September into three finals in a row. Her run also shows the depth of the women’s game: her semi-final opponent arrived as a lucky loser, while the world No. 1 left the event injured.
What happens next
The final is due on Sunday, 1 November. If Fernandez wins, she will take her second title of the Asian swing and her seventh overall; if Shnaider wins, she will end the year with a first title of 2026.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://app.ekkow.com/1489133991656489929 (AFP, 31 Oct 2026)
- https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/On_the_WTA_results_with/171058/tokyo-leylah-fernandez-erases-deficit-in-both-sets-to-reach-third-final-in-asia/ (TennisWorldUSA, 31 Oct 2026)
- https://vivasport.com/tennis/stories/leylah-fernandez-reaches-third-consecutive-final-pan-pacific-open (VivaSport, 31 Oct 2026)
