Rybakina Survives Set-Point Delays to Book Back-to-Back Ningbo Victory

Elena Rybakina required 11 set points to win the first set of the Ningbo Open semifinal before securing a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Diana Shnaider. The result guarantees the world number one a chance to retain her title in the Chinese city, a performance that arrives just weeks before the season-ending WTA Finals.

Rybakina’s path to the final was complicated by recent physical setbacks. She arrived in Ningbo following a heavy defeat in Beijing and a withdrawal from the Wuhan tournament due to a foot injury. In the semifinal, the Australian Open and US Open champion displayed flashes of her best tennis against the 13th-ranked Shnaider, though the match featured noticeable inconsistency.

The first set saw Rybakina take control early with aggressive winners from deep in the court, but a dip in form forced a prolonged finish. She finally sealed the set on her 11th opportunity. "It was an important game, and it was a long one," Rybakina said after the match. "It was on my serve, and it was a struggle .. I was playing the first balls really well, but I couldn't close the game .. so many opportunities, but I'm glad it went my way."

The second set mirrored the first. The 27-year-old three-time Grand Slam winner struggled with first-serve accuracy but held key points to break Shnaider for a 4-3 lead. Shnaider responded by breaking Rybakina to love in the 10th game. Rybakina answered with powerful hitting to regain the lead in the next game, then served with greater confidence to close the match.

Shnaider’s left-handed style presented specific challenges. "It's always difficult to play against left-handers," Rybakina noted. "We don't have so many on the tour.. during the rallies, to switch the pattern was a little bit of an issue for me, but I'm happy I managed to win in two sets." This tactical difficulty will be repeated in Sunday's final, as her opponent Leylah Fernandez is also left-handed.

Fernandez secured her place in the final by defeating Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 7-5 in the earlier semifinal at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre. The unseeded Canadian player will face the defending champion in the decisive match.

Rybakina is scheduled to play the final on Sunday. Following this event, she will compete in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo next week. She will then begin defending her WTA Finals title at Indian Wells on November 8.