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Russian Diana Shnaider had to dig deep on Sunday in Tokyo, but she was able to fend off Canadian challenger Leylah Fernandez to win the women’s singles title at the Japan Open.
The third-seeded Shnaider won the first set of the best-of-three final 6-4, but Fernandez bounced back with a gritty 7-5 win to force a third and deciding set. Shnaider appeared to have more in the tank, winning the final set 6-2 in a match that took two hours 19 minutes to complete.
Fernandez, of Laval, Que., had five unforced errors and five double faults in the final, while her opponent had two aces and no double faults.
Shnaider won six of 15 return games and 11 of 15 service games, while Fernandez won four of 15 return games and only nine of 15 service games.
Fernandez advanced to the final with a 7-5, 6-3 semifinal victory on Friday over Russian-born Uzbekistani, Kamilla Rakhimova. Shnaider outlasted Mia Pohankova of Slovakia 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Luisa Stefani of Brazil fell in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) to Italy’s Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in the women’s doubles final.
Andreescu advances to Queretaro Open final
Bianca Andreescu had a feat on clay Saturday night, beating Carole Monnet of France in straight sets to advance to the Queretaro Open women’s singles final.
After breezing through the first set of the semifinal 6-3, the Mississauga, Ont., athlete had to dig in and rally from behind to beat Monnet 7-5.
Andreescu will face top-seeded Tatjana Maria of Germany in the final, after the 39-year-old Maria bounced third-seeded Fiona Ferro of France 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 in the other semifinal played on the outdoor clay courts in the WTA 125 annual tournament.
Andreescu had two aces, four double faults and five unforced errors against Monnet, who had five double faults, seven unforced errors and no aces.
The Canadian won six of 10 return games and seven of 11 service games. Andreescu won six of 14 break points and, at one point in the match, reeled off five wins in a row.
Andreescu beat Alicia Herrero Linana of Spain 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.