Shnaider wins sixth career title in Tokyo as Fernandez loses a second final in a row

Diana Shnaider won the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis on Sunday, beating Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in 2 hours and 19 minutes in the Tokyo final. The Russian, seeded third and ranked No. 13, claims the sixth singles title of her career and her first of 2026. Her season had been marked by a run to the Roland-Garros semi-finals, where she knocked out world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 in the quarter-finals.

Shnaider converted six of her eight break points. Fernandez took the second set 7-5, but hit five double faults to none for Shnaider.

The Canadian, ranked No. 30, loses a second final in a row, a week after falling to Elena Rybakina in Ningbo. In Tokyo, she had received a walkover from Rybakina, the top seed, in the quarter-finals, before beating lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova 7-5, 6-3 in the semi-finals.

“Firstly, I would like to congratulate Leylah on an amazing week, last week, some great achievements through this Asia Swing,” Shnaider said during the on-court presentation ceremony. “Congrats to you, your coach, your family back home. Keep going and for sure hope to see you more in the finals like this in the future.

“I also want to say thanks to and congratulate my coach who is here with me to achieving our first title this season. It means definitely a lot, so definitely a great achievement and a great finish to the season. I want to also say huge thanks to my family who is watching at home and also super happy.”

Shnaider’s hardest match came in the quarter-finals, where she came from a set down to beat eighth seed Alexandra Eala 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in 2 hours and 53 minutes. She then beat wildcard Mia Pohankova 6-4, 7-6 (7) in the semi-finals.

Tokyo 2026 final

• Diana Shnaider (3) d. Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 5-7, 6-2

Shnaider’s path to the title

• Second round: d. Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Q) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
• Quarter-final: d. Alexandra Eala (8) 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
• Semi-final: d. Mia Pohankova (WC) 6-4, 7-6 (7)
• Final: d. Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 5-7, 6-2

Fernandez’s path to the final

• First round: d. Himeno Sakatsume (WC) 6-2, 6-4
• Second round: d. Elise Mertens (5) 6-2, 7-6 (8)
• Quarter-final: d. Elena Rybakina (1) w/o
• Semi-final: d. Kamilla Rakhimova (LL) 7-5, 6-3