Leylah Fernandez

arrived in Singapore searching for a breakthrough. She left with a trophy, a renewed sense of belief and a message for the Singaporean and Filipino fans who made OCBC Arena feel like home.

Fernandez captured her first title of 2026 on Sunday, defeating Australia’s Talia Gibson 7-5, 6-0 in the Singapore Tennis Open final. The sixth-seeded Canadian won the final nine games to secure the championship in 1 hour, 38 minutes. It was the sixth WTA singles title of her career and her second at the WTA 500 level.

After championship point, Fernandez made sure the crowd shared in the moment.

“I would like to thank all the Singaporean fans and the Pinoy fans who came to watch,” Fernandez said during the trophy ceremony. “Not only my matches, but everybody’s matches.”

Fernandez thanked them for the encouragement, energy and positivity they brought throughout the week before adding: “Thank you for coming to watch women’s tennis.”

For Fernandez, the connection with the Filipino fans is personal.

And after Filipina star Alex Eala made an early exit from the Singapore Open, Fernandez became a natural player for many Filipino fans in attendance to rally behind, with her Filipino roots giving the crowd another personal connection to the tournament.

Leylah Fernandez’s Filipino Roots Shine in Singapore

Born in Montreal, Fernandez represents Canada but has Filipino heritage through her mother, Irene, a Filipino-Canadian. Her father, Jorge, is originally from Ecuador, giving the 24-year-old former U.S. Open finalist roots that stretch across three countries and cultures.

Fernandez has spoken about feeling the support of the Filipino community throughout her career. Earlier during her stay in Singapore, she recalled how Filipino fans embraced her when she first emerged on tour and continued showing up for her around the world.

That bond was evident throughout her championship run.

After rallying from a disastrous opening set to beat Maja Chwalinska 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals, Fernandez directly credited the crowd for helping her reset.

“Without you guys, I don’t think I would be in the finals,” Fernandez told the fans.

Before returning to OCBC Arena for Sunday’s championship match, she reinforced that connection on Instagram.

“Can’t get enough of this crowd. Let’s do it again tomorrow!!” Fernandez wrote alongside photos from the tournament, punctuating her post with Singapore and Philippine flag emojis.

Then she gave both sets of fans something more to celebrate.

Leylah Fernandez Ends 2026 Title Drought

Gibson pushed Fernandez throughout a tense opening set and had an opportunity to take control late. But once Fernandez escaped, the match flipped decisively.

The Canadian rolled through the closing stages, ultimately sweeping the second set to complete a tournament in which she dropped just one set. Her road to the trophy also included a straight-sets quarterfinal victory over top seed Mirra Andreeva before her three-set semifinal comeback against Chwalinska.

For Fernandez, who had gone without a title since October 2025, the emotion afterward was unmistakable.

Asked during her post-match news conference what went through her mind when the victory finally sank in, Fernandez described feeling “pure ecstasy happiness.”

“I just couldn’t stop smiling,” she said.

Fernandez said her season had required considerable work to find the right balance between attacking and defending. Against Gibson, those pieces finally came together.

She will remember the people in the stands, too.

Fernandez called OCBC Arena a “special place” and said the crowd repeatedly provided an extra burst of energy whenever she felt herself fading.

By Sunday night, that relationship had come full circle.

Singapore and Filipino fans carried Fernandez through some of her most difficult moments of the week. She rewarded them with a championship — and made sure they knew they were part of it.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

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