Leylah Fernandez Saves Set Point, Wins Sixth Career Title at WTA Singapore Open

A set point saved, and a runaway finish

Leylah Fernandez, the sixth seed, won the WTA Singapore Open on Sunday, defeating Australia's Talia Gibson 7-5, 6-0 for her sixth career title, all of them on hard courts.

The final did not look like a rout for most of the first set. Serving at 4-5, Fernandez faced a set point and saved it, then reeled off nine straight games to close out the match's opening act. The turning point came in the 11th game, when she broke Gibson with what Tennis Now described as a superb running forehand strike down the line, converting on her fourth break point to level at 6-5. Serving for the set, she saved two more break points, including one with a short-angle slice ace, before Gibson netted a return and then sprayed a forehand wide to hand Fernandez the set after 66 minutes.

No way back for Gibson

The second set was one-way traffic. Fernandez broke immediately to open it, held at 30 to move to 2-0, then broke again after Gibson dragged a forehand wide for a 3-0 lead. She closed out the match by winning 12 of the final 15 points, finishing the set 6-0.

Fernandez converted 6 of 12 break points across the match and won 19 of 32 points on Gibson's second serve, a lopsided return performance that ultimately decided the final.

A title built on comebacks

It was Fernandez's first title since Osaka last October, and her second straight comeback win of the week. In the semifinal, she had rallied past French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska after dropping the first set 1-6, winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

For Gibson, 22, the run to her maiden WTA final still marks a breakthrough week, even if the final itself got away from her once Fernandez found her range. Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist, added another line to a resume that continues to be defined by her ability to fight back from difficult positions.