Leylah Fernandez, the No. 4 seed, demonstrated her resilience and determination in a thrilling match at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open in Osaka. She battled past Rebecca Sramkova, overcoming a late first-set deficit to secure a 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory in 1 hour and 34 minutes. This win propels Fernandez into the semifinals, where she will face either Viktorija Golubic or Sorana Cirstea. The match showcased Fernandez's ability to turn the tide, as she broke back to force a tiebreak in the first set and then took control in the second set, winning four straight games.
Fernandez's serving prowess was on full display, as she won just three more points than Sramkova (52-49). She saved a break point in the opening game and, despite being broken at 5-5, immediately broke back to force the tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Fernandez came from a mini-break down to win it and further showcase her serving prowess. She landed 68% of her first serves and won 67% of those points in the first set, while also winning 54% of second-serve points and facing only two break points.
This win marks Fernandez's fifth consecutive opening-set win, including all three in Osaka. She has a 23-3 record this season when winning the first set, closing out 21 of those victories in straight sets. One of those three losses came against Sramkova in Mexico in August, and on Friday, Sramkova again threatened a comeback, saving three match points while trailing
