Tereza Valentova reflected with grace and gratitude after falling to Leylah Fernandez in the final of the Japan Open in Osaka, where she lost 6–0, 5–7, 6–3 in her first-ever WTA final.
A Hard-Fought Final in Osaka
The 18-year-old Czech qualifier reached the final after a remarkable run through the draw, but faced a tough challenge against world No. 27 Leylah Fernandez. Fernandez dominated the opening set, winning it 6–0 in under 30 minutes. Valentova responded with resilience, taking the second set 7–5 and forcing a decider. In the third, Fernandez regained control and closed out the match 6–3 to claim her fifth career title and second of the season.
Valentova’s Words of Respect
During the trophy ceremony, Valentova addressed the crowd and her opponent with heartfelt words. “I wanna congratulate Leylah for a really good tournament and really good tennis. Congrats to you and your team for a really good week,” she said, acknowledging Fernandez’s performance and composure throughout the event.
Gratitude to Her Support System
Valentova also took a moment to thank those closest to her. “I want to thank my coach for being here with me. I know it’s sometimes pretty tough with me. I’m sorry 😂 but I’m really thankful for the job you’re doing with me,” she said with a smile, drawing laughter from the crowd.
She continued with appreciation for her family and friends: “Also my family back home… my parents, my brother… they were supporting me every single match. I’m really glad they put me in this sport. I’m really glad for the job they’re doing. Also my friends back home who are supporting me every single day. I appreciate it. Thank you so much.”
A Promising Future Ahead
Despite the loss, Valentova’s performance in Osaka marked a major milestone in her young career. Ranked No. 78 entering the tournament, she showed poise and talent against top-tier opponents. Her run to the final has sparked excitement among fans and analysts, with many predicting a bright future on the WTA Tour.
Osaka in Osaka, ranking, and results in 2025
Now ranked no.16, Naomi owns a compiled 35-15 win-loss record in 2025. Naomi is now competing in Osaka where she ousted the world no.266 Wakana Sonobe 6-0 6-4, the world no.57 Suzan Lamens 7-6(6) 3-6 6-2 and the world no.47 Jaqueline Cristian w/o.
WTA Tokyo - Leylah Annie Fernandez's projected path
Leylah Annie Fernandez in 2025
Ranked world no.27, Fernandez played her last match on the 19th of October when she defeated world no.78 Tereza Valentova 6-0 5-7 6-3 in the final in Osaka to win her 4th career title.
Presently, during this year Leylah achieved a compiled 30-23 match record. The Canadian conquered 2 titles in 2025 in Washington and Osaka.
Naomi Osaka and Leylah Annie Fernandez played each other only 2 times. Their head to head is 1-1.