Oct 26 : A yr after profitable the Ningbo Open remodeled Elena Rybakina’s season, the world primary returned to the Chinese language metropolis and retained her title on Sunday, as her sport clicked into gear earlier than one other tilt on the WTA Finals.
Her 2025 success proved the springboard for a stellar run as she secured the final spot within the eight-player WTA Finals area the next week, earlier than profitable the season finale and carrying that momentum into the present marketing campaign.
The 27-year-old Kazakh went on to seize the Australian Open title in January earlier than claiming her third Grand Slam crown on the US Open final month.
Rybakina’s 6-2 6-2 win over Leylah Fernandez within the Ningbo closing on Sunday got here after she had suffered defeat in her first match as world primary in Beijing and an injury-enforced absence from Wuhan.
“It is the primary time I’ve defended a title, so it is an important achievement,” Rybakina informed the WTA web site.
“Ningbo is already a particular place. Final yr I began to play very well from this match. Hopefully it will give me motivation and good vitality to proceed this season and begin the subsequent one.”
After dropping 9 of her first 13 finals, Rybakina has now gained 11 of her final 15.
“I keep in mind I used to be getting upset all the time dropping in finals,” she stated after profitable her fourth title of the yr and fifteenth general.
“Now it is going my approach, however I can not count on it on a regular basis … now it is expertise clicking in necessary moments.”
Rybakina performs within the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo this week earlier than heading to Indian Wells for the November 8-15 WTA Finals, the place she went unbeaten final yr to pocket over $5 million in prize cash.