# Rybakina survives Shnaider test, sets up Ningbo final with Fernandez
_Elena Rybakina advances to the Ningbo final after overcoming Diana Shnaider in the semifinals._

- Publisher: Apex Sports News (https://apexsportsnews.in)
- Canonical URL: https://apexsportsnews.in/news/rybakina-survives-shnaider-test-sets-up-ningbo-final-with-fernandez
- Author: Rohit, Sports writer (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/rohit)
- Published: 2026-10-24T14:56:35.148Z
- Section: Tennis > WTA Tour
- Topics: Tennis, Elena Rybakina, Leylah Fernandez, Diana Shnaider, WTA Ningbo
## Summary

Elena Rybakina beat Diana Shnaider in the WTA Ningbo semifinal and will face Leylah Fernandez in the final. Fernandez reached the decider after beating Ekaterina Alexandrova in Wuhan.

## Key takeaways

- Elena Rybakina is currently ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA.
- Rybakina has won 14 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including three majors.
- Leylah Fernandez reached the Ningbo final after beating Ekaterina Alexandrova.
- Rybakina will face Fernandez in the Ningbo final.
- Rybakina is the first Kazakhstani player to win a major and be ranked world No. 1.

## Article

Elena Rybakina has reached the final of the WTA Ningbo tournament after surviving a test from Diana Shnaider in the semifinals. The world No. 1 will now face Leylah Fernandez for the title in Ningbo.

## What we know

Elena Andreyevna Rybakina is a Russian-born Kazakhstani professional tennis player. She is currently ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association. Rybakina has won 14 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including three majors, two WTA 1000 titles, and the 2025 WTA Finals. She is the first Kazakhstani player to win a major, and to be ranked world No. 1 and in the world's top 10.

In Wuhan, Jelena Ostapenko recorded a straight-sets win over No. 6 seed Diana Shnaider before losing to eventual champion Sonay Kartal in the semifinal. Ostapenko also beat Leylah Fernandez in three sets at Wuhan.

Fernandez reached the Ningbo final after beating Ekaterina Alexandrova. At Wuhan she beat Alexandrova in a gritty three-set opener with the score 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. She then survived a scare against Shi Han by winning the final five games of the match, 6-3, 6-4, before losing in the third round to Ostapenko.

> Fernandez didn’t play her best tennis but locked in when it mattered most in the deciding set.
> — Last Word on Sports

## What happens next

Rybakina will play Leylah Fernandez in the Ningbo final. Fernandez comes into the match after her sixth career WTA title. The winner will claim the Ningbo trophy and add to their season record.

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### Sources

- lastwordonsports.com: https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2026/10/22/wta-ningbo-quarterfinal-predictions-including-elena-rybakina-vs-katarzyna-kawa
- lineups.com: https://www.lineups.com/articles/wta-tennis-preview-ningbo-open-japan-open-betting-odds-analysis-information
- Wikipedia: Elena Rybakina (background): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena\_Rybakina
- Photo: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elena\_Rybakina\_(2025\_DC\_Open)\_11\_(cropped).jpg
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