Tennis player Elena Rybakina, former Wimbledon champion, broke a five-month drought by reaching the final of the Ningbo Open, after a resounding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini. Rybakina, who connected 10 aces, had to defend seven break points in a match that lasted 89 minutes against Paolini, the second seed, in China.
After failing to advance in the semifinals of the Citi Open, the Canadian Open, and the Cincinnati Masters in recent months, Rybakina will seek to add the Ningbo Open title to the WTA 500 event she won on clay in Strasbourg on May 24. This victory keeps Rybakina’s hopes of reaching the season-ending WTA Finals alive, after Paolini missed the opportunity to secure her place in the Turin tournament with a win on Saturday. Ekaterina Alexandrova, who is in the top 10 of her career for the first time, will face Rybakina, the third seed, in the final after defeating Diana Shnaider 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 to have stayed focused until the end and to have won in straight sets.
Elena Rybakina
