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Leylah Fernandez is on the charge once again after winning in Osaka last week, and she now has a chance to do real damage to the WTA Finals landscape.
Fernandez defeated Maria Sakkari from a seemingly impossible position to progress to the last 16 of the Japan Open.
The 23-year-old was miles behind in the first set against the Greek performer but won four games in a row to take it to a tie-breaker and then win.
Fernandez met Emma Raducanu in the final of the US Open in 2021, and she’s come a long way since then, even if she’s not scaled those heights again.
After winning last week, she’s showcased that she can progress further next year, and a big match awaits her in the next round in Japan.
Photo by PAUL MILLER/AFP via Getty Images
One concern emerges from Leylah Fernandez’s latest match
Next up for Fernandez is the player who won the Ningbo Open last week, Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina has moved up the rankings after her win, and now she must beat Fernandez and win one more match to oust Mirra Andreeva from the WTA Finals.
Fernandez is more than capable of beating Rybakina, but there will be something from her first match that absolutely needs addressing.
During her match with Sakkari, she made a staggering 30 unforced errors in the first set alone, and although she won the set, that is a cause for concern.
Although she improved on that during the second set, she simply won’t get away with quite so many errors in a match against one of the in-form players on the tour right now.
Fernandez can star in 2026
When it comes to the Grand Slam events, Fernandez has struggled to make an impact, and that will be something she works on next year.
Fernandez has the shots to cause quite a stir among the big players, and improving on her ranking of number 22 will also be a priority.
With five career titles and still being relatively raw, there is time for Fernandez to get over the winner’s line and secure a major title.
Clearly, there are still some issues with unforced errors creeping in, but alongside long-standing coach Jorge Fernandez, there is hope that things can change.
Beating Rybakina and progressing in Japan would be a statement win for Fernandez, and a truly exciting match looks to be in store.
