Elena Rybakina strengthened her bid to finish the season as the world’s top-ranked women’s tennis player after producing a commanding performance to defeat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 in the Ningbo Open final on Sunday, successfully defending her title.

The triumph marked Rybakina’s first trophy since reaching world number one and her fourth title of the season, taking her career tally to 15. It also provided another boost to a remarkable campaign in which she claimed the Australian Open and US Open crowns before reaching the summit of the women’s game.

Speaking after receiving her trophy in the eastern Chinese city, the Kazakh expressed her delight at returning to a tournament where she has enjoyed considerable success.

“It's amazing to play in front of you... it's my second year here and my second win,” Rybakina told the crowd.

“It's such a special place for me. Thanks so much Ningbo.”

The victory offered timely encouragement after setbacks in Beijing and Wuhan, with the 27-year-old now turning her attention to the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo before preparing to defend her title at the season-ending WTA Finals, scheduled to begin on November 8 in Indian Wells, California.

Rybakina’s dominant display in Ningbo underlined the power and consistency that have characterised her season, as she continues to strengthen her position in the race for the year-end number one ranking.

Trademark Power Seals Victory

The top seed relied on her trademark power to take control of the opening set, breaking through in the fifth game before delivering a fierce crosscourt backhand winner to establish a 4-2 advantage.

From that point, Rybakina maintained her authority, closing out the first set 6-2 in 38 minutes and leaving Fernandez with little room to dictate the exchanges.

The Canadian, ranked world number 30, began the second set with renewed determination but struggled to sustain the challenge against Rybakina’s aggressive baseline play.

After absorbing the early pressure, the Kazakh raised her intensity, forced an error from Fernandez and secured a crucial break to move 2-1 ahead.

Rybakina subsequently took charge of the contest, extending her advantage with controlled aggression and clinical shot-making to complete another 6-2 set and seal the championship.


For Fernandez, the defeat ended a challenging week in which she had battled through a demanding schedule to reach the final. The 24-year-old, who won the Singapore Open last month, nevertheless remained positive about her progress and prospects for the remainder of the season.

Congratulating her opponent, Fernandez said: “I'd like to congratulate Elena for a wonderful week and a wonderful year. Congratulations to you and your team.”

She then turned her attention to her own camp, expressing confidence that their recent progress could translate into further success.

“We're having a good end of year. We've just got to keep going and keep working hard,” she said.

With the Ningbo title secured, Rybakina heads into the final stretch of the season with renewed momentum and the year-end number one ranking firmly in her sights. Her next appearance in Tokyo will provide another opportunity to sharpen her game before the season finale, where she will seek to maintain her position among the leading contenders in women’s tennis.