Tennis player Elena Rybakina, former Wimbledon champion, broke a five-month drought by reaching the final of the Ningbo Open, after defeating Jasmine Paolini with a resounding 6-3, 6-2. Rybakina displayed a dominant game, including 10 aces, although she had to defend against seven break points in a match that lasted 89 minutes against Paolini, who was 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 alive of participating in the end-of-season WTA Finals, after Paolini lost the opportunity to secure her place in the Turin tournament with a win on Saturday. In the final, Rybakina will face Ekaterina Alexandrova, who is in the top 10 for the first time in her career, 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 to have stayed focused until the end and to have won in straight sets.
Elena Rybakina
