Rybakina Converts 11th Set Point to Reach Ningbo Final
World number one defeats Diana Shnaider to face unseeded Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's match for the back-to-back title.
By Luis Fernandez ·
Elena Rybakina required 11 set points to secure the first set against Diana Shnaider in the Ningbo Open semifinal. The world number one went on to win the match 6-3, 7-5. This victory gives her a chance to win the tournament title for the second consecutive year.
Rybakina, who holds the Australian Open and US Open titles, arrives at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre after a rough patch. She suffered a heavy loss in Beijing and withdrew from the Wuhan tournament due to a foot injury. She faced 13th-ranked Shnaider in the semifinal on Friday.
The opening set saw Rybakina hit powerful winners from deep in the court. She took an early lead but experienced a dip in form. She finally closed out the set on her 11th attempt at a set point. "It was an important game, and it was a long one," Rybakina said. "I was playing the first balls really well, but I couldn't close the game."
The second set followed a similar trajectory. Rybakina struggled with first-serve accuracy but broke serve to take a 4-3 lead. Shnaider broke back to love in the 10th game. Rybakina responded with big hitting to regain the lead in the next game. She then served with confidence to end the match.
Shnaider's left-handed style presented specific challenges. "It's always difficult to play against left-handers," Rybakina noted. "I needed some time. The returns were not as bad, but during the rallies, to switch the pattern was a little bit of an issue for me." She admitted that managing the pattern switches was difficult but expressed happiness at winning in two sets.
Rybakina will face unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's final. Fernandez also won her semifinal 6-3, 7-5, defeating Czech player Marie Bouzkova. Fernandez is also left-handed, meaning Rybakina will face a similar stylistic test in the championship match.
The world number one plans to sharpen her game before traveling to Tokyo for the Pan Pacific Open next week. She will then begin her defense of the WTA Finals title at Indian Wells on November 8. "It's never easy," Rybakina said regarding the prospect of winning back-to-back trophies. "I'm going to fight and give my all tomorrow."
Source: Al Jazeera
