Alexandrova turns tables on Shnaider in Ningbo semifinal
Rain lingered outside but couldn’t dampen Ekaterina Alexandrova’s resolve inside the Ningbo arena, where she dismantled Diana Shnaider to reach another final and chase redemption against Elena Rybakina.
Under the steady hum of indoor lights at the Ningbo Open, Ekaterina Alexandrova arrived with the sting of a recent defeat still fresh. Two months after Diana Shnaider outlasted her in a rain-lashed Monterrey final, the 30-year-old Russian channeled her newfound top 10 status into a poised performance. She claimed a 6-3, 6-4 win in 1 hour and 32 minutes, her fourth final of the 2025 season at WTA 500 level, all while the patter of rain outside underscored the shift from vulnerability to command.
Embracing top 10 intensity
The psychological weight of her ranking debut hung in the air from the first ball, but Alexandrova absorbed it without flinching. Shnaider, the young aggressor, grabbed an early break to lead 5-1 in the opening set, piling on eight break points to test the veteran’s nerve. Yet she held firm, firing crosscourt forehands that kept her opponent stretched and disrupted any building momentum, eventually leveling the score and seizing control with a one–two punch that opened the court wide.
That resilience mirrored a season of close calls, where finals had tested her ability to thrive under pressure. Shnaider pressed again at 5-3, but Alexandrova’s flat returns forced errors, turning the set her way. The crowd’s murmurs built with each hold, the indoor hardcourt’s true bounce amplifying her groundstrokes’ penetration.
“Honestly, I have no expectations,” Alexandrova said after the match. “I’ll go on court tomorrow and enjoy the atmosphere and the match. I’ll try to do my best because she’s a great player and she has a really tough serve, so it’ll be super difficult. But I’ll enjoy my time here and do my best.”
Converting amid pressure waves
In the second set, the duel sharpened as Shnaider clawed back, saving two match points on her serve with deep underspin backhands that stalled rallies and kept the tension alive. Alexandrova faced three more in the games that followed, her focus unwavering as she varied serves to the body and wide angles, limiting returns and setting up inside-out forehands. She converted four of seven break chances overall, while Shnaider managed just two from ten, the disparity highlighting the Russian’s tactical edge on this faster surface.
The climax arrived on her sixth match point, a down-the-line forehand winner that echoed through the arena and sent her compatriot off court. This grit, honed from Monterrey’s chaos to Ningbo’s controlled tempo, spoke to her growth in high-stakes moments. With scores, draws, and order of play charting the tournament’s path, her run built steadily toward Sunday’s showdown.
A FOURTH FINAL OF THE SEASON 🤩
Ekaterina Alexandrova overcomes Shnaider in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final in Ningbo 👏#NingboOpen pic.twitter.com/EFkZAd1xz2— wta (@WTA) October 18, 2025
Serve powers final prospects
Alexandrova’s serve proved the match’s backbone, outshining Shnaider with more aces, a higher first-serve percentage, and dominant points won behind it—fewer double faults sealing her advantage. She mixed placements to neutralize aggressive returns, often following with slice approaches that drew errors on the low bounce. Such precision made her a tough out, a blueprint she’ll need against Rybakina’s own powerhouse delivery.
Heading into the final, she holds a 3-1 head-to-head lead over the Kazakh, including a straight-sets victory in Adelaide to open 2024, where inside-in forehands targeted backhand weaknesses. The indoor setup favors their flat styles, demanding sharp returning and varied patterns to break through. A win would deliver Alexandrova’s second title of 2025 and sixth career trophy, the #NingboOpen buzz from October 18, 2025, capturing the moment as she eyes sustained top 10 momentum amid the tour’s late push.
