Paolini Fights Hard to Reach Semifinals
Jasmine Paolini overcame significant challenges to keep her WTA Finals Riyadh aspirations alive, defeating No. 6 seed Belinda Bencic in a grueling 3-hour, 22-minute match. The final score was 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 at the AUX Ningbo Open quarterfinals.
Ningbo Update: The Italian player is now just one win away from securing her place in Riyadh. Her next challenge will come against Elena Rybakina in the semifinals, who dispatched qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic efficiently with a score of 6-2, 6-0.
Qualification Scenarios
- If Paolini wins: She will qualify for Riyadh, and the last spot will be determined between Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva next week.
- If Rybakina wins: The final two spots will remain up for grabs, with Paolini, Rybakina, and Andreeva still competing for qualification.
Both Paolini and Rybakina are also set to participate in next week’s Toray Pan Pacific Open, while Andreeva may require a wild card to play.
Bencic’s Missed Opportunity: Belinda Bencic still had a chance for an alternate position at the WTA Finals before the match. However, her defeat, along with Ekaterina Alexandrova’s win over McCartney Kessler, confirmed Alexandrova’s place as an alternate.
Handling the Pressure
After her second-round win over Veronika Kudermetova, Paolini stated she is trying not to dwell on Riyadh, focusing instead on each match. She reiterated this sentiment following her battle with Bencic, emphasizing the importance of performing well to qualify.
Rybakina acknowledged that even winning the title this week wouldn’t assure her qualification, mentioning, “I know I still need to win many matches, both here and next week. The priority is staying healthy as the season has been long.”
