Defending Ningbo Open champion Elena Rybakina successfully navigated a testing semifinal encounter against Russian sixth seed Diana Shnaider, securing a 6-3, 7-5 victory to book another appearance in a title clash. The result serves as a timely reminder of her competitive edge ahead of the upcoming WTA Finals next month.

The top-seeded player is scheduled to face Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's showdown after the unseeded Canadian dispatched Czech opponent Marie Bouzkova with the exact same 6-3, 7-5 scoreline at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre in eastern China.

Rybakina’s journey to the defense of her title has not been entirely straightforward, coming on the heels of a bruising defeat in Beijing and a persistent foot injury that forced her withdrawal from Wuhan. Despite occasional lapses in concentration and struggles with her first-serve accuracy, she managed to display flashes of elite form against the 13th-ranked Shnaider.

Looking ahead to the final, Rybakina acknowledged the tactical challenges posed by left-handed opponents and noted that she had to work hard to adapt during rallies. Following the conclusion of the tournament in Ningbo, she plans to fine-tune her game further at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo before shifting full focus toward her WTA Finals title defense.

Source: www.aljazeera.com