Rybakina powers into Ningbo final after five-month drought
Elena Rybakina overcomes a gritty Jasmine Paolini to reach her first final in months, lining up a showdown with surging Ekaterina Alexandrova that could reshape WTA year-end fates.
In the steamy evening air of the Ningbo Open, Elena Rybakina rediscovered her championship poise, dismantling Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 in a semifinal that crackled with intensity. The former Wimbledon champion unleashed 10 aces, her serve slicing through the humid atmosphere like a blade, while saving seven break points over 89 minutes of probing rallies. This straight-sets triumph ends a five-month absence from finals, a drought punctuated by semifinal heartbreaks at the Citi Open, Canadian Open, and Cincinnati Masters.
“I knew the match would be very tough,” Rybakina said. “Jasmine has played really well this season. She’s a really tough opponent, and I knew I would need to bring my best. I’m happy I stayed focused until the end and won in straight sets.”
Navigating break threats with precision
Paolini, seeded second, came armed with her quick footwork and crosscourt forehands, testing Rybakina’s resolve early by carving out those seven break opportunities. Yet the Kazakh responded with deep returns and one–two combinations from the baseline, her flat groundstrokes pinning the Italian back and forcing unforced errors on the medium-paced hard courts. The crowd’s murmurs swelled during those tense holds, Rybakina’s calm resets between points underscoring a mental shift honed from recent close calls.
This victory revives echoes of her last title in Strasbourg on May 24, a WTA 500 clay-court masterclass where similar focus turned pressure into dominance. On these outdoor slabs, where bounce aids her penetrating shots, she now eyes the Ningbo trophy as a hard-court rebound, her serve’s kick variations disrupting Paolini’s underspin slices and inside-in approaches. The win keeps her WTA Finals aspirations flickering, especially after denying the Italian a Turin berth.
Alexandrova surges to top-10 milestone
Ekaterina Alexandrova, entering the top 10 for the first time in her career, secured her finals spot by outgunning Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-4, her powerful down-the-line backhands exploiting gaps in the teenager’s defense. At 30, the Russian’s aggressive baseline game overwhelmed Shnaider’s lobs and slices, wide serves opening courts for inside-out forehands that dictated tempo. This semifinal grind highlights her evolution, blending raw power with sharper movement on Asia’s hard courts.
Shnaider pushed with extended rallies and drop shots, but Alexandrova’s first-strike returns and hold percentages proved decisive, the points building in a rhythm that favored her explosive style. Her breakthrough run transforms potential into tangible rankings gains, setting up a final against the third-seeded Rybakina where both will trade heavy balls under the lights.
Final clash tests season-long ambitions
The Ningbo showdown contrasts Rybakina’s efficient precision with Alexandrova’s flair, a matchup where serve dominance and return depth could swing the WTA 500 title. Fans sense the stakes—Rybakina chasing end-of-year momentum, her opponent aiming to validate a career-high surge amid the crowd’s anticipatory hum. As Sunday approaches, expect tactical duels with crosscourt exchanges giving way to down-the-line winners, mental edges sharpening in the heat.