Leylah Fernandez had nearly reached the finish line when Mirra Andreeva made one last charge.
Leading 5-2 in the second set on Friday, Fernandez watched the Singapore Open’s top seed erase the deficit and level the score. A match that had appeared safely under Canadian control was suddenly balanced on a thin edge.
Fernandez did not blink.
The sixth seed won the next two games, breaking Andreeva in the 12th to complete a 6-2, 7-5 upset and advance to her first semifinal of the season.
“It’s such a great win,” Fernandez told reporters afterward. “The way that I played, the way that I fought in the second set. It wasn’t an easy match to begin with, physically and then of course mentally. I’m just happy that I was able to get through the finish line today.”
Her relief was understandable. Fernandez needed 1 hour, 32 minutes to eliminate the reigning French Open champion and record the ninth top-10 victory of her career.
The result also confirmed an increasingly intriguing pattern: Andreeva may own the advantage on clay, but Fernandez has controlled their rivalry on hard courts.
Leylah Fernandez Extends Hard Court Edge Over Mirra Andreeva
Fernandez has now defeated Andreeva in each of their three meetings on hard courts, beginning with her 2023 victory in Hong Kong. She also dismissed the Russian 6-1, 6-4 in Toronto last month.
Andreeva won their two clay-court encounters, including a straight-set quarterfinal in Madrid this spring. Overall, Fernandez now leads their head-to-head series 3-2.
Rather than claiming she had unlocked a permanent solution, Fernandez described their rivalry as “that push and pull.” Familiarity has sharpened both players’ understanding of what the other wants to do.
Friday’s difference was Fernandez’s ability to stay aggressive without allowing the match to unravel when Andreeva found her range.
Fernandez saved two break points early in the opening set before breaking serve and pulling away. Andreeva committed 41 unforced errors, but the Canadian did more than wait for mistakes. She struck 13 winners, one more than her opponent, and repeatedly redirected pace from inside the baseline.
Her composure mattered most after surrendering the late break.
Fernandez acknowledged that the match demanded plenty from her physically and mentally. Closing it out, particularly after Andreeva’s surge, made the victory more satisfying.
Fernandez Faces Maja Chwalinska in Semifinal
Fernandez will meet fifth-seeded Maja Chwalinska on Saturday for a place in the Singapore Open final.
Chwalinska, the reigning Roland Garros runner-up, overwhelmed defending champion Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-2 in her quarterfinal. Saturday will mark the first career meeting between Fernandez and the Polish left-hander.
Fernandez said she planned to eat, recover and speak with her coaches by video call before settling on a game plan.
That preparation can wait a few hours. Friday belonged to a player who absorbed the tournament favorite’s best counterpunch and still found a way through.
Fernandez arrived in Singapore without a semifinal appearance this season. She is now two victories from the title — and once again reminding the tour that when a favored opponent applies pressure, she rarely steps away from the fight.
Leylah Fernandez Makes Feelings Clear After Mirra Andreeva Upset