Ningbo Open Semifinal: Rybakina Converts 11th Set Point to Face Fernandez
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina overcame a tense tiebreak against Diana Shnaider to secure her spot in the back-to-back title defense.
By Emma Mehta ·
Elena Rybakina survived 11 set points in the first set to defeat Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday. The win places the world No. 1 in the Ningbo Open final for the second consecutive year.
Rybakina arrived in Ningbo following a challenging run. She sustained a foot injury that forced her withdrawal from the Wuhan tournament and suffered a heavy loss in Beijing. Her semifinal against the 13th-ranked Shnaider required a return to form, though the match featured moments of inconsistency.
The first set began with aggressive play from Rybakina, who hit powerful winners from deep in the court. Her performance dipped in the middle of the set, leading to a prolonged battle on her serve. She finally closed the set on her 11th opportunity. Rybakina noted that she played well on the first balls but struggled to finish the point, acknowledging the quality of rallies from Shnaider.
The second set mirrored the first. Rybakina faced difficulties with first-serve accuracy but broke serve to take a 4-3 lead. Shnaider responded with a break for love in the 10th game. Rybakina used powerful hitting to rebreak in the 11th game and served confidently to end the match.
Shnaider's left-handed style created specific challenges for the right-hander Rybakina. Rybakina explained that switching patterns during rallies against left-handers is difficult. She stated that she was happy to win in two sets despite the technical hurdles.
Rybakina will face Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's final. The unseeded Canadian earned her spot by defeating Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 7-5 in the other semifinal at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre. Fernandez is also left-handed, presenting a similar test for the defending champion.
Rybakina will next compete in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Following that event, she will begin defending her WTA Finals title at Indian Wells on November 8. Regarding the upcoming final, Rybakina said it is never easy and that she plans to give her all tomorrow.
Source: Al Jazeera
