Elena Rybakina Advances to Ningbo Final with Semifinal Win

NINGBO, China — Elena Rybakina kept her PIF WTA Finals Riyadh hopes alive with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini in Saturday’s semifinals of the AUX Ningbo Open. Rybakina’s win means that Paolini’s qualification for Riyadh is uncertain, at least for now.

Paolini could have secured her spot in Riyadh with a win but will have to wait following Rybakina’s strong performance. The qualification situation evolved further after it was announced that Mirra Andreeva did not enter the upcoming Tokyo tournament, allowing Paolini to qualify based on her current ranking. This leaves one singles spot to be determined between Rybakina and Andreeva next week.

Rybakina, who took 1 hour and 29 minutes to finish the match, expressed her awareness of the challenge posed by Paolini. “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.”

The match featured intense rallies and critical moments. In the first set, Rybakina saved three break points, showcasing her poise on critical serves. She ultimately broke Paolini’s serve once, sealing the first set in 51 minutes.

With the second set tied at two games each, Rybakina took control by breaking Paolini’s serve again. Despite facing challenges while serving for the match, including three break points against her, Rybakina maintained her composure and secured her place in the final.

Rybakina will next face Ekaterina Alexandrova, who reached the final by defeating Diana Shnaider in the other semifinal. Alexandrova leads their head-to-head matchup 3-1 and won their latest encounter in straight sets.