Elena Rybakina beats Leylah Fernandez to defend Ningbo Open title

Elena Rybakina defended her Ningbo Open title with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Leylah Fernandez on Sunday, claiming her first trophy since becoming world No. 1 after the US Open.

The Kazakhstani delivered a composed performance against the Canadian, saving all four break points she faced and sealing the final with a forehand winner on her first match point.

The victory marks Rybakina's fourth title of the season and the 15th of her career, further strengthening her position at the top of women's tennis.

Rybakina responds with title-winning performance

Rybakina entered the Ningbo final looking to turn her rise to the top of the rankings into another tournament victory. She had moved past Aryna Sabalenka to become world No. 1 following the US Open but suffered an unexpected early exit at the China Open, losing her opening match to world No. 118 Alina Charaeva.

In Ningbo, however, she quickly regained her rhythm. Against Fernandez, Rybakina controlled the match with aggressive groundstrokes and reliable serving, winning both sets by the same 6-2 scoreline.

Her ability to defend her serve proved particularly important. Although Fernandez created four break-point opportunities, Rybakina saved every one and prevented her opponent from building momentum.

The defending champion then converted her opportunity to close out the match, producing a forehand winner on her first championship point.

Fourth title of the season for world No. 1

The Ningbo triumph gives Rybakina a tour-leading fourth title of the season, adding to her Australian Open, Stuttgart and US Open victories. It also brings her career singles title tally to 15.

Her successful title defence continues an impressive record at the tournament. Rybakina is now 8-0 in her career at the Ningbo Open, having also won last season's final against Ekaterina Alexandrova.

The result offers a timely response to her early China Open defeat and demonstrates her ability to recover quickly from a setback.

Fernandez falls short in final

Fernandez, ranked 30th in the world, was seeking another significant title after reaching the US Open final in 2021.

The Canadian was unable to disrupt Rybakina's control of the match, with the top-ranked player maintaining pressure throughout and protecting her serve whenever Fernandez threatened.

For Rybakina, the victory delivers a second consecutive Ningbo Open crown and her first trophy since reaching the summit of the WTA rankings. She leaves the tournament with renewed momentum and another title added to an already successful season.

SportsLigue