Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Quebec, won the Singapore Open on Sunday, defeating Australian Talia Gibson 7-5, 6-0 in the final to claim her first WTA title of the season. The 24-year-old Canadian, seeded sixth in the WTA 500 event, completed the match in one hour and 38 minutes, with Gibson struggling in the second set as Fernandez won nine consecutive games to close out a bagel.
How Fernandez reached the final
Fernandez's path to the title included a quarterfinal victory over top seed Mirra Andreeva, the world No. 5 and defending French Open champion, whom she defeated 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 32 minutes. The win marked Fernandez's second victory over Andreeva in two months, following a straight-sets triumph at the National Bank Open in Toronto in August. In the semifinals, Fernandez rallied from a set down to beat No. 5 seed Maja Chwalinska 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, according to the WTA.
Ranking boost and career milestone
Fernandez's title run lifted her five places in the rankings, from No. 31 to No. 26 in this week's PIF WTA Rankings. The Singapore championship is her sixth career title and her third on the Asian continent, following victories in Hong Kong in 2023 and Osaka in 2025. It is also her first title since winning the Japan Open in Osaka in October 2025.
New coaching partnership
Fernandez reached out to Richard Hechtman, a former coach of Venus and Serena Williams, following Wimbledon, and the pair began working together aided by their proximity to each other in Miami. Hechtman told Match Point Canada that he plans to join Fernandez in person for the final weeks of the Asian Swing. "Leylah has that athleticism, movement on the court to become not just an elite offensive player, but an elite defender," Hechtman said. "I saw those things, [and] I'm like, 'Hey, this girl should be top 10, right?'" Fernandez's father Jorge will continue to support her during weeks when Hechtman is not present.
Fernandez heads next to the China Open in Beijing, a WTA 1000 event, where she is seeded 23rd.
Sources
- TSN: Fernandez captures Singapore Open with win over Gibson. The Canadian Press, 2026-09-27.
- Women's Tennis Association: Rankings Watch: Fernandez back in Top 30; Gibson, Birrell break Top 50. WTA, 2026-09-28.
- International Olympic Committee: Tennis: Guided by the Williams sisters' former coach, Leylah Annie Fernandez clinches first title of the season. IOC, 2026-09-28.
- Serve On SI: Leylah Fernandez Shocks WTA Tour With Singapore Open Win. SI, 2026-09-29.
Reported from public sources.