Rybakina conquers Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 to win Ningbo Open in China
Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, was looking for form and her second title of the season. The twenty-six year old Kazakh achieved a career high rank of #3 in 2023 but stood out 10 during the summer hard court swing. Currently ranked 9The third seed followed her opponent in second place 1-3 in head-to-head.
Ekaterina Alexandrova from Russia saw her ranking rise this season. The 30-year-old has always been a fierce competitor and a difficult opponent. She had never entered the rarefied atmosphere of elite tennis.
After winning her fifth title at the WTA 500 At the event in Linz at the beginning of the season, she reached four semi-finals and two finals. As a result, in October 13At that moment she broke into the top ten for the first time in her career. With the roof closed, the fourth seed won the toss and elected to serve.
She held her ground with a backhand down the line winner 30. Rybakina dumped serve, despite an ace on the tee, after three unforced errors. Alexandrova conceded deuce, but after two more errors from Rybakina she consolidated the break 3-0.
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Rybakina made 3/5 first serves and easy to hold 15 as Alexandrova toiled, facing four deuce and two break points before holding on. Rybakina double-faulted but held on with two great groundstroke winners 15 for 2-4.
Alexandrova opened the seventh with an incredible inside-in forehand winner and held on 15 for 5-2 while Rybakina served with new balls, hit two consecutive aces and held love. Alexandrova served for the set and took the set with three formidable forehand winners 6-3.
Rybakina left the court after the opening set. She served first in the second set and held three winners 30while Alexandrova made four unforced errors, two deuces, faced three break points and dropped serve. Rybakina hit two winners, including her fourth ace, to consolidate the break 3-0.
Alexandrova, with waning energy and focus, made three unforced errors and dropped serve. Rybakina responded like a grand slam champion with two consecutive aces and easily held on 15 to consolidate the break 5-0. Alexandrova, who served to stay in the set, made 6/8 serves first, but concedes three additional fouls and leaves the court afterward.
Rybakina opened the third with her seventh ace and held it 15 while Alexandrova served with new balls, struggled with the weight of the shot and her opponent’s court position. She conceded four deuce, a break point, and dumped serve after Rybakina scored a forehand volley.
Rybakina hit two more aces, but was conceded two deuces and a break point before holding to consolidate the break, while Alexandrova made 3/5 first served and held 15 for 1-3. Rybakina opened the fifth with her second double fault but easily held on 15 with her tenth ace.
Alexandrova made two backhand errors, but held on 30 for 2-4 with two winning forehands. Rybakina hit her third double fault, eleventh ace, and conceded break point and deuce, but held on 5-2 with a fantastic forehand inside-in.
Alexandrova, serving to stay in the match, hit two notable winners, including an ace wide, but it was futile as Rybakina smashed a forehand down the line to reach match point and converted when Alexandrova missed wide with the forehand.
It was a sparkling and competitive final. While both served well and hit the ball from both wings, Rybakina outscored her opponent on almost every metric. She won 88% of the first, 42% second service points, and saved 2/3 breakpoints during conversion 5/10. She was just as efficient when she returned and won 42% of first and 55% second service points. As each match ebbs and flows, champions rise to the occasion under pressure, harnessing aggression and taking calculated risks.
In addition to winning her tenth career title, Rybakina has closed the gap in the live race to the WTA Final in Riyadh. Currently ranked ninth, a semi-final appearance next week at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo would guarantee the final qualifying spot as Mirra Andreeva, currently ranked seventh, will not compete.
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