Tennis
Elena Rybakina and Leylah Fernandez Set Ningbo Open Final
Both players won their Ningbo semifinals 6-3, 7-5.
Elena Rybakina and Leylah Fernandez advanced to the Ningbo Open final Saturday, each winning her semifinal 6-3, 7-5 to set up their first meeting in a championship match.
World No. 1 Rybakina defeated Diana Shnaider in 1 hour, 35 minutes to return to the final for a second straight year. Fernandez beat Marie Bouzkova in 1 hour, 58 minutes, reaching her second final of the season and the 10th of her career, the WTA reported.
Rybakina needed 11 set points to finish the opening set and was broken to love while serving for the match in the second. She still closed out a straight-set victory after going three sets against qualifier Katarzyna Kawa in the quarterfinals.
Fernandez won the last three games against Bouzkova. The Canadian has already won the Singapore title during the Asian swing and now faces the defending Ningbo champion.
The final will be their sixth tour meeting and Rybakina’s 28th career final.
