World number one Elena Rybakina successfully defended her Ningbo Open crown on Sunday, cruising to a clinical 6-2, 6-2 win over unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez. This triumph marks her first title since ascending to the top of the world rankings and provides a significant boost ahead of next month’s WTA Finals.
Rybakina utilized her trademark power to break through in the fifth game of the opening set. The 27-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion secured a 4-2 lead with a blistering crosscourt backhand winner, closing out the set in just 38 minutes. Although world number 30 Fernandez attempted a resilient start in the second set, Rybakina absorbed the pressure, raising her performance level to force a critical break at 2-1 and cruising to the finish line.
This victory serves as a vital recovery for the Kazakh star following recent tournament exits in Beijing and Wuhan. The win bolsters her campaign to secure the year-end world number one ranking, a milestone in a season highlighted by her Australian Open and US Open victories. Rybakina will now prepare for the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo before moving to California to defend her title at the Indian Wells season finale starting November 8. Further burnishing a spectacular season in which she won the Australian Open title before adding the US Open crown to reach the summit, the victory on Sunday also helped the Kazakh take a big step towards securing the year-end number one ranking.
