For the second time during the WTA’s Asian swing, 2021 United States Open finalist Leylah Annie Fernandez of Montreal, Quebec has upset 2018 Australian Open semifinalist Elise Mertens of Belgium. After defeating Mertens 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of the 2026 Ningbo Open in China on October 18, Fernandez defeated Mertens again. This time it was by a score of 6-2, 7-6 in the second round of the 2026 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday.
Fernandez had three double faults in the match, compared to four for Mertens. Fernandez also broke Mertens four times in 11 opportunities. Another key statistic in the match was winning percentage on second serve. Fernandez was at 78% and Mertens was at 48%. The 30% difference was very significant.
This was the third time in five meetings that Fernandez has beaten Mertens. Fernandez also beat Mertens 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of Guadalajara in 2023. The match was considered an upset because Fernandez is ranked 23rd in the world and Mertens is ranked 14th in the world and seeded fifth in Japan this week.
Fernandez now faces world number one Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals on Thursday evening. Rybakina just beat Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the Ningbo Open on Sunday. Rybakina has had quite the 2026 season as she won the Australian Open and United States Open earlier this year.
All-time, Rybakina has won four of six matches against Fernandez. The Canadian beat Rybakina 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the second round of Cincinnati in 2024 and and 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 in the semifinals of Washington in 2025. The other three quarterfinals at the Toray Pan Pacific Open have Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan versus Maya Joint of Australia, Mia Pohankova of Slovakia versus Alycia Parks of the United States and Diana Shnaider of Russia versus Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.
