Canada’s Leylah Fernandez continued her impressive late-season hard-court form on Saturday by defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 7-5, 6-3 to reach the championship match of the Pan Pacific Open. The 24-year-old Canadian advanced to her second consecutive tournament final, having finished as runner-up to world number one Elena Rybakina in Ningbo the previous week.
Fernandez’s path to Saturday’s semifinal included a quarter-final walkover after Rybakina withdrew from their scheduled meeting. Earlier in the autumn campaign, Fernandez secured her first singles title of the season in Singapore during the month of September.
Looking to cap her Asian swing with another trophy, Fernandez will square off against third-seeded Diana Shnaider of Russia in Sunday’s final. Shnaider punched her ticket to the title match by overcoming Slovak teenager Mia Pohankova in a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6(7) victory.
Reflecting on her performance and recent momentum, Fernandez emphasized the psychological resilience required during the demanding stretch of tournaments. “I’m proud of my mental fortitude,” Fernandez said. “These aren’t easy matches so I’m happy that I was able to find solutions and stay calm in tough moments.”
Meanwhile, Shnaider enters Sunday’s showdown actively seeking her first tournament title of the 2026 season.
