Rybakina conquers Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 to win Ningbo Open in China
Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, was in search of form and her second title of the season. The twenty-six-year-old Kazakh achieved a career high rank of #3 in 2023 but fell to 10 during the summer hardcourt swing. Currently ranked 9th, the third seed trailed her opponent 1-3 in the head-to-head.
Ekaterina Alexandrova from Russia saw her ranking rise this season. The thirty-year-old has always been a fierce competitor and a tough out. She had never entered the rarified air of elite tennis.
After winning her fifth title at the WTA 500 event in Linz at the start of the season, she made four semifinals and two finals. As a result, on October 13th, 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.
With a backhand down the line winner, she held to 30. Rybakina, despite an ace up the tee, dumped serve following three unforced errors. Alexandrova faced deuce, but after two more errors from Rybakina, she consolidated the break for 3-0.
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Rybakina made 3/5 first serves and held easily to 15 while Alexandrova labored, facing four deuce and two break points before holding. Rybakina donated a double fault but with two tremendous groundstroke winners, held to 15 for 2-4.
Alexandrova opened the seventh with an incredible inside-in forehand winner and held to 15 for 5-2 while Rybakina serving with new balls, struck two consecutive aces and held at love. Alexandrova served for the set and, with three formidable forehand winners, clinched it 6-3.
Rybakina left the court following the conclusion of the opening set. She served first in the second set and, with three winners held to 30, while Alexandrova committed four unforced errors, faced two deuces, three break points, and dropped serve. Rybakina hit two winners, including her fourth ace, to consolidate the break for 3-0.
Alexandrova, with waning energy and focus, committed three unforced errors and dropped serve. Rybakina responded like a grand slam champion with two consecutive aces and held easily to 15 to consolidate the break for 5-0. Alexandrova, serving to stay in the set, made 6/8 first serves but conceded it with three additional errors and left the court following its conclusion.
Rybakina opened the third with her seventh ace and held to 15 while Alexandrova serving with new balls, struggled with her opponent’s weight of shot and court position. She faced four deuce, a break point, and dumped serve after Rybakina nailed a forehand volley.
Rybakina struck two additional aces but faced two deuce and a break point before holding to consolidate the break, while Alexandrova made 3/5 first serves and held to 15 for 1-3. Rybakina opened the fifth with her second double fault but held easily to 15 with her tenth ace.
Alexandrova gifted two backhand errors but held to 30 for 2-4 with two winning forehands. Rybakina struck her third double fault, eleventh ace, and faced break point and deuce, yet held for 5-2 with a fantastic forehand inside-in.
Alexandrova, serving to stay in the match, hit two remarkable winners, including an ace out wide, but it was futile as Rybakina crushed a forehand down the line to reach match point and converted when Alexandrova missed wide with the forehand.
It was a scintillating and competitive final. While both served well and pummeled the ball off both wings, Rybakina surpassed her opponent on almost every metric. She won 88% of first, 42% of second serve points, and saved 2/3 break points while converting 5/10. She was equally efficient when returning, winning 42% of first and 55% of second serve points. While every match ebbs and flows, champions rise to the occasion under pressure, harnessing aggression while taking calculated risks.
In addition to winning her tenth career title, Rybakina has closed the gap in the live race to the WTA Finals in Riyadh. Currently in ninth position, a semifinal appearance next week at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo would guarantee the last qualifying spot since Mirra Andreeva, currently in seventh position, is not competing.    Â