“It’s about time”: Fernandez fights back from a set down to beat Chwalinska and reach Singapore final

Canadian Leylah Fernandez, the No. 6 seed, needed a set to solve Maja Chwalinska’s game before taking control. She beat the Pole, the No. 5 seed, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the final of the Singapore Tennis Open presented by BNP Paribas.

Fernandez will play Australian Talia Gibson in her ninth Tour-level final, their first meeting. She is chasing a sixth title and a second at WTA 500 level, after Washington last year.

The world No. 31, who received a last-minute wild card, beat top seed Mirra Andreeva 6-2, 7-5 on Friday. Her earlier wins came against American Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-3 and Japanese qualifier Kyoka Okamura 6-2, 6-3.

Chwalinska raced through the opening set, mixing slices, heavy topspin and changes of pace. At 5-0, 15-40 on Fernandez’s serve, she finished one long point with a flat backhand winner down the line.

Fernandez then shortened the points, came forward more and took the ball earlier. Chwalinska recovered from 1-3 to 3-3 in the second set, but the Canadian did not tighten. She broke at her first chance at 4-4 and took the set on her second set point, when Chwalinska netted a forehand return.

I worked very hard this year trying to get my confidence back, my movement back, keeping healthy, not only physically but also mentally.

The third set took more than 50 minutes. Fernandez saved a break point at 0-1, went ahead 3-1 and sealed the match with a backhand winner down the line.

“The first set I came in very stressed, nervous,” Fernandez said. “I tried to force some shots that weren’t there. I tried to hit winners when I needed to work the ball, needed to work the point.”

She said the crowd kept her going when she trailed: “When I did get my first game in the sixth game, in the first set, and I heard the cheers, I was like, OK, they’re not going to give up on me, so let me not give up on them either.” It is her first final of the year.

“It’s about time, man. It feels good,” she said. “There’s been a lot of adversity that I faced this year. I worked very hard this year trying to get my confidence back, my movement back, keeping healthy, not only physically but also mentally.”

Chwalinska, the Roland-Garros finalist, was playing only her second WTA 500 main draw in singles. She had beaten Belgian Elise Mertens, the No. 4 seed, 6-2, 6-2, Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-0, 6-1 and Slovak wild card Rebecca Sramkova 6-4, 6-2.

“She played better. She deserved to win,” Chwalinska said. “I’m definitely very grateful for this week. I’m happy to get some wins, finally.”