2 hours 48 minutes of play, Race to the WTA Finals: Rybakina wins a tough battle in Ningbo

After a thrilling 2-hour 48-minute battle against Dayana Yastremska, Elena Rybakina dug deep to secure her spot in the quarterfinals of the Ningbo WTA 500. Ranked ninth in the Race, the Kazakh player is taking big risks in China, with the Masters in her sights.

Facing an opportunistic Dayana Yastremska, the 2022 Wimbledon champion had to draw on her physical and mental resources to win 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 after 2 hours and 48 minutes of a difficult battle.

Ranked 9th in the Race, just outside qualification for the WTA Finals, Rybakina can no longer afford any mistakes. In Ningbo, every victory is of crucial importance. It's worth noting that she played another tie-break in this match, her 24th tie-break across all competitions in 2025, which is her highest total in a single year.

In the quarterfinals, Ajla Tomljanovic now stands in her way. The Australian came through qualifying and notably eliminated Clara Tauson (12th) in the first round.