Rybakina endures marathon to reach Ningbo quarters
Elena Rybakina clawed back from two sets down in Ningbo’s draining humidity, outlasting Dayana Yastremska to preserve her fading WTA Finals chances and tee up a tense quarterfinal against Ajla Tomljanovic.
In Ningbo’s oppressive humidity, Elena Rybakina confronted the mounting pressure of her WTA Finals pursuit, where every match feels like a referendum on her season. The Kazakh, teetering on the edge of qualification, faced a stubborn Dayana Yastremska in a clash that tested her physical limits and tactical depth over nearly three hours. What began as a struggle against the elements and her opponent’s aggression evolved into a testament to her baseline resilience, securing a hard-fought advancement.
Navigating humid-court challenges
Rybakina’s serve, typically a pillar of her game, betrayed her early as the damp air dulled its bite, letting Yastremska snag the first set 6-4 through probing crosscourt returns that punished second serves. The Ukrainian built on that surge in the second, her flat groundstrokes forcing errors in extended rallies, culminating in a 7-6 (6) tiebreak victory after Rybakina’s inside-out forehands skimmed the lines but couldn’t break through. With the match clock ticking past two hours, the crowd’s anticipation thickened the air—check the Ningbo: Scores | Draws | Order of play for the unfolding drama—as Rybakina adjusted by deepening her returns to disrupt the rhythm.
“It was a long day,” Rybakina said after the match. “The conditions, with it being so humid, are unusual for us. But I’m very happy I managed to win and thank you all so much for staying and supporting me.”
Turning tide in the decider
Trailing by two sets, Rybakina drew on her one–two combinations to seize control early in the third, breaking with a precise down-the-line backhand that exploited Yastremska’s positioning. She mixed in underspin on her returns to keep the ball low on the hard court, countering the Ukrainian’s power while conserving energy in shorter points. The physical toll showed in beads of sweat and labored breaths, yet her 10th ace in the final game clinched the 6-3 set, her court coverage wearing down the opponent’s aggressive bursts amid rising cheers from the stands.
Facing Tomljanovic’s steady threat
This 4-6, 6-7 (6), 6-3 win marks Rybakina’s first Ningbo quarterfinal, narrowing the points gap to Riyadh’s elite field and underscoring her season’s grit through varied surfaces. Yastremska’s head-to-head edge made the comeback all the more vital, as Rybakina’s adaptations—from topspin variations to safer inside-in patterns—proved decisive against fatigue. Now, she turns to Ajla Tomljanovic, whose tactical patience and slice backhands could prolong baseline exchanges, demanding the Kazakh sustain her momentum in the humidity to push deeper and keep Finals hopes flickering.
