Rybakina has her priorities straight: "The most important thing is to stay healthy"

Still in the running to compete in the WTA Finals this season, Elena Rybakina has reached the semifinals of the WTA 500 in Ningbo.

After a moderate start to the season, Rybakina has gained momentum as the season progressed. Having qualified for the semifinals of the WTA 500 in Ningbo, the Kazakh player will need to defeat Paolini to prevent the Italian from securing her spot in Riyadh for the WTA Finals.

However, the 26-year-old player knows there is still a long way to go to qualify for this prestigious tournament taking place in early November, especially since it is not her top priority.

"I wouldn't say it adds pressure. Of course, it would be a good thing to qualify for the WTA Finals. But I know that if I want to get there, I will have to win many more matches. Not just in Ningbo, but also in Tokyo next week.

I'm just trying to finish the season as well as possible. The most important thing is to stay healthy. This season has been very long, and I haven't had as much success as I hoped. But I think it's still a decent season. I want to stay fit and prepare for the next match," she told Tennis Up To Date.