TOKYO — Canada’s Leylah Fernandez reached the Tokyo final with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova on Saturday to continue her hot streak on women’s tennis’ Asian swing.
The world No. 23 won her first title of the season in Singapore last month and followed that up by reaching the final of last week’s Ningbo Open in China, where she lost to world No. 1 Elena Rybakina.
Fernandez will face either Russia’s Diana Shnaider or Slovakia’s Mia Pohankova in the Pan Pacific Open final as she looks for her seventh title on the WTA Tour.
Fernandez reached the quarterfinals when Rybakina withdrew from their match with a neck injury, a day after securing the yearend world No. 1 ranking.
World No. 66 Rakhimova was eliminated in qualifying in Tokyo but entered the main draw as a lucky loser and made it all the way to the semifinals.
She was attempting to reach her first final on the WTA Tour, but she ran into a player in form in Fernandez, who hit nine aces.
The Canadian went for a break down early in the first set but soon recovered with a break of her own before tipping the balance her way.
Rakhimova also went for a break up early in the second set but Fernandez clawed her way back again and took the match in just under n Leylah Fernandez
