Rybakina survives tough match to face Fernandez in Ningbo final

Elena Rybakina secured her spot in the Ningbo Open final on Saturday, defeating Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre. The win positions the world number one to defend her title in the eastern Chinese city for the second consecutive year.

The match tested Rybakina's resilience following a recent string of setbacks. She entered the tournament after a heavy loss in Beijing and a withdrawal from Wuhan due to a foot injury. Against the 13th-ranked Shnaider, the 27-year-old three-time Grand Slam winner displayed moments of high quality but also faced significant challenges in closing out key games.

Rybakina took the first set by hitting powerful winners from deep in the court. However, a dip in form forced her to fight for the final game. She finally secured the set on her 11th set point. "It was an important game, and it was a long one," Rybakina said. "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. Rybakina struggled with first-serve accuracy but broke serve to lead 4-3. She was then broken to love in the 10th game. The Australian Open and US Open champion responded with aggressive hitting to regain the lead before serving confidently to end the match.

Shnaider's left-handed style presented specific difficulties for the Kazakh star. "She played really well, and it's always difficult to play against left-handers," Rybakina noted. "The returns were not as bad, but 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."

Rybakina will face Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's final. The unseeded Canadian earned her place by defeating Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 7-5 in the earlier semifinal. Fernandez is also left-handed, meaning Rybakina will encounter a similar tactical challenge in the championship match.

The Ningbo Open serves as a preparatory event for the WTA Finals, which begin at Indian Wells on November 8. Rybakina will also play in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo next week. Regarding the possibility of winning back-to-back titles in Ningbo, she remained cautious. "It's never easy," she said. "Of course I'll try to do my best. I'm going to fight and give my all tomorrow."