Singles Semifinal
○ Tereza Valentova (CZE)  6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3 ● Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) 

■Just 18 years old and only recently out of the juniors, Valentova came into the match with less experience and a lower ranking (No. 78) than her opponent. Taking the initiative seemed key, but Valentova couldn’t find her rhythm in the first set and lost it in a tiebreak. That’s when she began to show her true potential.

■“I didn’t play my best tennis at the start. But I noticed a few things and tried to shift the momentum—and it worked. Getting control early in the third set was huge. From there, I kept pushing and focused on fighting for every point,” said Valentova.
Cristian is known for her powerful shots, but Valentova’s steadiness gave her the edge. Reading her opponent’s strokes, she waited for her moments and struck with sharp winners. Holding onto her early lead in the final set, Valentova didn’t face a single break point and closed out the match.

■She already has two titles at the WTA 125 level, but this marks her first final at a WTA 250 event.
“It feels amazing. I’ll focus on recovering physically and giving everything I have. I’m really looking forward to it. If I enjoy it and give my best, I believe it’ll end well.”
Displaying poise far beyond her years, Valentova approaches the final with calm determination, ready for the biggest stage of her career so far.

(Japan Tennis Association)