Tennis player Elena Rybakina, former Wimbledon champion, broke her five-month drought without reaching a final, after a resounding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini in the Ningbo Open semifinals. Rybakina displayed a dominant game, including 10 aces, although she also had to defend seven break points in an 89-minute match against Paolini, who was the second seed in the tournament held in China.
After failing to advance to the final at the Citi Open, the Canadian Open, and the Cincinnati Masters in recent months, Rybakina will seek to add the Ningbo Open title to her victory at the WTA 500 clay court event in Strasbourg, achieved on May 24. This victory keeps Rybakina’s hopes alive of participating in the WTA Finals at the end of the season, after Paolini failed to secure her place in the Turin tournament with a win on Saturday. In the final, Rybakina will face Ekaterina Alexandrova, who is ranked in the top 10 for the first time, after defeating Diana Shnaider with a score of 6-3, 6-4.I knew the match would be very tough. Jasmine has played very well this season. She is a very difficult opponent, and I knew I would have to give my best. I am happy that I stayed focused until the end and won in straight sets.
Elena Rybakina
