A Hard-Fought Opening Set Before Fernandez Takes Control
Leylah Fernandez is a WTA champion once again. The Canadian claimed the Singapore Open title with a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Australian first-time finalist Talia Gibson, adding a sixth career singles crown to her collection alongside three runner-up finishes.
The opening set was a genuine contest, with four service breaks traded between the two players before Fernandez seized the decisive fifth break in the 11th game to edge ahead. From that point, there was no looking back. The second set was completely one-sided, with Fernandez posting a bagel to close out the match in style. It was her first title since winning the Japan Women's Open in October of last year, and she knocked out some serious competition along the way, defeating top seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals and fifth seed Maja Chwalinska in the semifinals.
Rankings and Rewards Make This Win Even Sweeter
The title carries significant ranking rewards for both players. Fernandez, who entered the tournament at number 31 in the world, is projected to climb five spots to number 26 in the live rankings. She adds 440 points to her tally under the WTA's rolling 52-week system, along with a prize check of $185,500 that pushes her career earnings close to the $9 million milestone.
Gibson's run was equally impressive in its own right. The 22-year-old beat seventh seed Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals and is set to jump 26 places to a career-high ranking of number 37. Her performance also installs her as Australia's top-ranked women's player. Both players now head to Beijing for the WTA 1000 China Open. TennisDraw users who backed Fernandez for a deep run here will be feeling very good about their bracket choices right now.
