Rybakina defeats Fernandez in the Ningbo tournament final to claim her fourth title of the season

Rybakina defended her title in Ningbo

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina won the Ningbo Open, defeating Canada's Leylah Fernandez, ranked 30th in the world, 6-2, 6-2 in the final. For Rybakina, seeded first and the defending champion, this is her fourth title of the season and her 15th at WTA level overall. According to AFP, the victory significantly strengthened her position in the battle to finish the year as world No. 1. Rybakina, a Moscow native who represents Kazakhstan, is a winner of the Australian Open and the US Open.

How the final unfolded

In the first set, Rybakina broke serve to lead 4-2, then moved to 5-2 when Fernandez hit the net, and took the set to love in under 40 minutes. In the second set, the Kazakh again broke her opponent's serve to lead 2-1, saved two break points in the fourth game, then broke again for 5-2 and converted her first match point with a powerful forehand. AFP notes that the 27-year-old Rybakina missed the October tournament in Wuhan due to a foot injury. For Fernandez, who had a chance to claim a second title in two months, offered no further resistance after the middle of the second set.

Significance of the result

The Ningbo victory is Rybakina's fourth title of the season, which, according to AFP, brings her a step closer to the year-end No. 1 ranking in the WTA. For Fernandez, the final was a missed opportunity to secure a second title in two months. The practical consequence of the result is an updated picture in the year-long ranking race: the defending champion retained her title without dropping a single set to her opponent.