Singles Semifinal
○ Leylah Fernandez (CAN)  6-1, 2-6, 6-4  ● Sorana Cirstea (ROU)
 
■Fernandez, known for taking the ball early and staying close to the baseline, faced off against Cirstea, whose aggressive groundstrokes are her main weapon. It was a three-set match where both players showcased their strengths. Fernandez initially seized control, but Cirstea responded strongly. In the second set, Cirstea won 73% of points on her first serve, and Fernandez was unable to break her even once.

■However, in the final set, Fernandez halted Cirstea’s momentum. Both players struggled to hold serve, but Fernandez edged it with a crucial one-break advantage. She later shared her mindset going into the deciding set: 

■“When an opponent starts hitting well and raising her level, things get tough. I tried to listen to my coach, trust my abilities, and believe in myself. I can’t control the result, but I can control how I respond in the moment and how I calm myself down. I focused on fighting for every point, and that made the difference.”

■Fernandez added “If I step back from the baseline, it’s hard to generate power. By staying forward and hitting early, I try to reduce the gap of physical sizes between me and my opponents.”
With her quick transitions, tactical shot-making, and unwavering self-belief, Fernandez overcame Cirstea’s power tennis to reach the final.

(Japan Tennis Association)