Rybakina Advances to the Finals in Ningbo
Elena Rybakina secured her chance to qualify for the PIF WTA Finals in Riyadh with a decisive 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini in the semifinals of the AUX Ningbo Open on Saturday. Paolini needed a win to secure her spot in Riyadh, but Rybakina’s victory postponed that outcome for at least a few hours.
Changing Qualification Landscape
The qualification scenario shifted further with the release of the Tokyo tournament draw. Mirra Andreeva is not participating next week, thus allowing Paolini to qualify for Riyadh based on her current Race standings.
Final Spot at Stake
One singles spot remains open for the WTA Finals, which will be determined in Tokyo between Rybakina and Andreeva. Here’s how the qualification works:
- If Rybakina loses the final in Ningbo, she must win in Tokyo to qualify.
- If Rybakina wins the title in Ningbo, reaching the semifinals in Tokyo will suffice for qualification.
- All other outcomes will result in Andreeva qualifying, with Rybakina as the first alternate.
Match Highlights
Rybakina, in a matchup of Top 10 players, triumphed after 1 hour and 29 minutes, marking her second final of the season. “I anticipated a tough match,” Rybakina noted post-match. “Jasmine has had a stellar season. I needed to stay focused, and I’m glad I managed to win in straight sets.”
Key Moments from the Semifinal
The semifinal featured intense rallies and long games. In the first game, Rybakina demonstrated her formidable serve, fending off an early break point and ultimately holding serve for a 1-0 lead. The only break of the first set came when Rybakina converted a break point at 5-3 to serve for the set.
Second Set Progression
In the second set, Rybakina pushed ahead after breaking Paolini’s serve in the fifth game. Despite facing three break points while serving for the match at 5-2, Rybakina saved them all and closed out the match on her next serve, marking a solid performance.
Looking Ahead
Rybakina will compete against Ekaterina Alexandrova in Sunday’s final. Alexandrova, who made her top 10 debut, defeated Diana Shnaider in straight sets during the other semifinal. Historically, Alexandrova leads their head-to-head record 3-1, but their last matchup was in early 2024, making this final a highly anticipated rematch.
