TOKYO: Russia’s Diana Shnaider won her first title of the year with a hard-fought victory over Leylah Fernandez in Tokyo on Sunday and couldn’t wait to tell her mum all about it.

The world number 13 beat Canada’s Fernandez 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win the Pan Pacific Open.

It was Shnaider’s first title since Monterrey in August last year and the sixth of her career.

She looked to be cruising to victory after winning the first set and taking a 4-0 lead in the second.

World number 23 Fernandez came back to win the second set, but Shnaider regained control to close out the match.

Fernandez went into the final with 16 wins in her previous 20 matches.

That run included victory at the Singapore Open in September and a runner-up finish at last week’s Ningbo Open in China.

Fernandez struggled with her serve, double-faulting five times throughout the match.

She got it together when it mattered though, stunning Shnaider in the second set with some tenacious tennis to even the score at one set each.

Shnaider regained her composure when she returned for the final set, breaking Fernandez’s serve twice and clinching the title with her first match point.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2026