11 Set Points Decide Rybakina's Path to Ningbo Final
The world number one needed all 11 opportunities to defeat Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5, setting up a Sunday matchup against Leylah Fernandez.
By Kwame Silva ·
Elena Rybakina secured her spot in the Ningbo Open final after a tense semifinal win over Diana Shnaider.
The match ended with a score of 6-3, 7-5. Rybakina required 11 set points to close out the first set. She converted the final attempt on her own serve after a prolonged exchange.
The 27-year-old player is the defending champion at this event. She arrived in Ningbo following a rough run that included a heavy loss in Beijing and a withdrawal from Wuhan due to a foot injury. Shnaider, ranked 13th, played left-handed, a style Rybakina noted often disrupts her rhythm.
"It was an important game, and it was a long one," Rybakina said after the match. "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 at 3-3 to take a lead. Shnaider broke back to love in the 10th game. Rybakina responded with powerful groundstrokes to regain the advantage in the next game. She served with greater confidence in the final game to seal the victory.
Leylah Fernandez, an unseeded Canadian, will face Rybakina in Sunday's final. Fernandez defeated Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 7-5 in the first semifinal. Fernandez also plays left-handed, presenting a similar challenge for the world number one.
Rybakina will play in Tokyo next week before heading to Indian Wells on November 8. She will defend her WTA Finals title starting then. Regarding the chance to win the Ningbo title again, she said, "It's never easy. Of course I'll try to do my best. I'm going to fight and give my all tomorrow."
