Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina ended her five-month wait to reach another final with an impressive 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini in the last four of the Ningbo Open.
Rybakina hit 10 aces but was forced to save seven break points in an 89-minute battle with second-seeded Paolini in China.
“I knew the match was going to be very tough,” Rybakina said. “Jasmine has played really well this season. She was a really tough opponent so I knew I had to give my best. I stayed focused until the end and I’m glad I won in straight sets.”
Rybakina, who has lost in the semi-final stages of the City Open, Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters in recent months, is hoping to add the Ningbo Open title to the WTA 500 she won on clay in Strasbourg on May 24.
While Paolini missed a chance to seal her spot in Turin with Saturday’s victory, the win keeps Rybakina’s hopes of reaching the WTA Finals at the end of the season alive.
Ekaterina Alexandrova, who cracked the top 10 for the first time in her career, defeated Diana Schneider 6-3, 6-4 and will face third-seeded Rybakina in the final.
PA contributed to this report.