Rybakina seals Ningbo 500 title, fueling bid for the WTA Finals
19 October 2025
Match Recap
Elena Rybakina rallied from a set down to win the Ningbo Open 2025, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 in under two hours. Alexandrova controlled the early phase and claimed the first set, but Rybakina flipped the script with a dominant second set and closed out the decider with authority.
The momentum shift came from a stellar serving display: 61% of first serves in, 11 aces, and 88% of points won on first serve, while facing only three break points and saving two. Rybakina ripped off nine consecutive games across the second and third sets to overturn the deficit and grabbed a decisive 5-2 lead in the final frame before sealing the victory.
This title marks Rybakina's tenth WTA 500 trophy and the second of the season, complementing her Wimbledon 2022 success and her run to the Australian Open 2023 final. The win lifts her to world No. 7, aided by victories over top-10 opponents Jasmine Paolini and Ekaterina Alexandrova en route to the crown.
During the ceremony, she credited her team for the late-season push and expressed gratitude for the support that got her across the finish line, while Alexandrova also earned praise for a week of strong form despite the loss.
"Impact on the Finals race" details: Rybakina moves closer to a spot in Riyadh, but Tokyo results will be pivotal; at minimum, a semifinal in Tokyo would likely secure the last berth, otherwise she would enter as the first alternate.
Alexandrova’s run to a third straight final at 500-point events ends here, though her form remains solid and keeps her among the sport’s top players heading into the season’s key events.
What’s next: The tour heads to Tokyo for the Toray Pan Pacific Open, where Rybakina will look to reinforce her position and keep the momentum going as she pursues more titles and a strong finish to the year.
Punchlines: Elena's serve was so sharp the ball filed a restraining order for returning. If this were a dating profile, she’d probably say: Always returns and always aces.
