Leylah Fernandez opened her 2026 Pan Pacific Open run with a 6-2, 6-4 first-round win over Japan's Himeno Sakatsume on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Canadian, now ranked No. 23 in the world, made quick work of the home-grown entrant to punch her ticket to the WTA Tokyo tournament's second round.
Leylah Fernandez Continues Strong Asian Swing in Tokyo
Fernandez dominated the match from the start, converting 71% of her first-serve points while fending off four of Sakatsume's five break-point chances. The Japanese wildcard found more of a rhythm in the second set, but Fernandez pulled away to close it out in straights.
The result extends a strong fall run for the left-hander from Quebec. She won her first WTA title of 2026 at the Singapore Open earlier this month. Then, she reached the Ningbo Open final last weekend before falling to world No. 1 Elena Rybakina.
Fernandez Next Faces Mertens in Ningbo Rematch
Despite just a two-day break between Ningbo and this week's Japan Open, Fernandez looked sharp, and ready for a deep run in Tokyo.
She next faces No. 5 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium in a rematch of their first-round meeting in China, which Fernandez won in three sets.
