Elena Rybakina retains Ningbo Open title

World number one Elena Rybakina successfully defended her Ningbo Open title on Sunday, defeating unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 in the final held in the eastern Chinese city. This victory marks the 27-year-old’s 15th career title and her fourth of the 2026 season, providing significant momentum as she prepares for the upcoming WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California, starting November 8. Rybakina had reached the final by overcoming Russian sixth seed Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 in a competitive semi-final match on Saturday.

Following a challenging period involving a defeat in Beijing and a foot injury that sidelined her in Wuhan, the Australian and US Open champion displayed dominant form throughout the tournament. The win strengthens her pursuit of the year-end world number one ranking. Looking ahead, Rybakina is scheduled to compete in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo this week before transitioning to her title defense at the season-ending championships in California.