Rybakina Beats Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 to Defend Ningbo Title Against Fernandez
World number one overcomes a left-handed challenge in the semifinal to set up a final against unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez.
By Priya Singh ·
Elena Rybakina defeated Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 in the Ningbo Open semifinal on Saturday. The win secures the world number one a spot in the final, where she will face unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez. A victory on Sunday would give Rybakina her second consecutive title at the event.
Fernandez earned her place in the championship match earlier Saturday by defeating Czech player Marie Bouzkova by the same 6-3, 7-5 scoreline. Both matches took place at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre in the eastern Chinese city.
Rybakina arrived in Ningbo after a challenging stretch of the season. She suffered a heavy defeat in Beijing and subsequently withdrew from Wuhan due to a foot injury. In the semifinal, she displayed moments of high-level tennis while managing some inconsistency against the 13th-ranked Shnaider.
The match featured long rallies and close sets. Rybakina struggled to close out games on her serve, converting her 11th set point to take the first set. She noted the difficulty in post-match remarks, stating, 'It was an important game, and it was a long one.. I was playing the first balls really well, but I couldn't close the game.'
Shnaider's left-handed game presented specific tactical challenges for the right-hander. Rybakina acknowledged the difficulty of switching patterns during rallies against a lefty. 'It's always difficult to play against left-handers. We don't have so many on the tour,' she said. Fernandez, who is also left-handed, presents a similar hurdle for Sunday's contest.
Rybakina will next travel to Tokyo for the Pan Pacific Open. Following that tournament, she begins the defense of her WTA Finals title at Indian Wells on November 8. Regarding the upcoming final, she remained focused on the effort required: 'It's never easy.. I'm going to fight and give my all tomorrow.'
The final is scheduled for Sunday at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre. Rybakina aims to improve her first-serve accuracy and maintain her aggressive hitting from deep in the court to overcome her final opponent.
Source: Al Jazeera
