Rybakina Defeats Paolini in Ningbo, Race to Riyadh Heats Up

Elena Rybakina snapped a two-match losing streak to Jasmine Paolini with a brilliant 6-3, 6-2 victory on Saturday night in Ningbo, and the former Wimbledon champ stayed alive in the Race to the WTA Finals Riyadh in the process.

Currently ninth in the race, Rybakina can pull within 15 points of eighth-place Mirra Andreeva if she defeats Ekaterina Alexandrova in Sunday’s final in Ningbo.

Paolini ends her week in seventh place, and could immediately qualify if Andreeva doesn’t take a late wild card into an event for next week. The Russian, who is currently five points behind Paolini, did not take a wild card into Tokyo. She could still, in theory, take a wild card into Guangzhou.

Alexandrova defeated Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final, and she could eliminate Rybakina by defeating her on Sunday.

Rybakina saved all seven break points she faced in a high quality tussle with the Italian. She broke three times from ten opportunities to improve to 48-19 on the season.

She will bid for her 10th career title on Sunday, and second of 2025.

“I knew the match would be very tough,” Rybakina said after improving to 3-3 lifetime against Paolini. “Jasmine has played really well this season. She’s a really tough opponent, and I knew I would need to bring my best. I’m happy I stayed focused until the end and won in straight sets.”