Tennis wrap: Medvedev ends title-defence drought; Rybakina builds momentum for WTA Finals
Medvedev defended the Almaty title while Rybakina won Ningbo for a fourth 2026 trophy.
Daniil Medvedev won the Almaty Open to defend a tour-level title for the first time. Elena Rybakina defended Ningbo, her fourth title of 2026, ahead of the WTA Finals.
Key takeaways
- Medvedev beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-3 in the Almaty final.
- Rybakina beat Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 to defend the Ningbo Open title.
- Rybakina's win was her fourth title of 2026 and first since becoming world No. 1.
- Iga Swiatek withdrew from Ningbo with a left thigh problem and will miss the WTA Finals.
- The WTA Finals field includes Rybakina, Sabalenka, Andreeva, Pegula, Gauff, Svitolina, Muchova and Noskova.
Daniil Medvedev won the Almaty Open on Sunday to defend a tour-level title for the first time in his career, while Elena Rybakina defended the Ningbo Open title, securing her fourth trophy of 2026. The results strengthen both players' positions ahead of the season-ending championships.
Medvedev ends title-defence drought
Medvedev beat qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-3 in Sunday's final in Almaty. His victory moved him ahead of Flavio Cobolli into fifth place in the live ATP Finals standings.
Rybakina builds momentum for WTA Finals
Rybakina successfully defended her Ningbo Open title by beating Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2. It was her fourth title of 2026 and her first trophy since becoming world No. 1. The win strengthens her position ahead of the WTA Finals.
Other ATP finals
Lorenzo Musetti defeated second seed Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4 to claim his first tour-level title since 2022 in Lyon, ending his seven-match losing streak in tour-level finals. Tallon Griekspoor captured the ATP 250 title in Brussels with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Jan-Lennard Struff, recovering from a set down for the third consecutive match to secure his first title of the season.
WTA Finals field set
Iga Swiatek withdrew from the Ningbo Open on Tuesday because of a left thigh problem, bringing her 2026 season to an end and ruling her out of the race for the WTA Finals. It will be her first absence from the WTA Finals since 2020. Marta Kostyuk retired from her second-round match in Ningbo, while Karolina Muchova secured the final qualifying spot without having to play that week. The eight-player field features Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Elina Svitolina, Muchova and Linda Noskova.
What happens next
Both Medvedev and Cobolli are set to compete in Vienna, where results could affect the battle for remaining places in Turin. The WTA Finals is scheduled to run from November 8 to 15, 2026 in Indian Wells, United States, and will be the 55th edition of the singles event.
Finals results reported by Hindustan Times
Tournament | Winner | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
Almaty | Daniil Medvedev | Nikoloz Basilashvili | 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-3 |
Ningbo | Elena Rybakina | Leylah Fernandez | 6-2, 6-2 |
Lyon | Lorenzo Musetti | Taylor Fritz | 6-3, 6-4 |
Brussels | Tallon Griekspoor | Jan-Lennard Struff | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
Related on Apex Sports News
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Daniil Medvedev defends Almaty Open title to close in on ATP Finals
Sources
Topics
- Ningbo Open
- WTA Finals
- Almaty Open
- ATP Finals
- Frances Tiafoe
- Iga Swiatek
- Elena Rybakina
- Karolina Muchova
- Leylah Fernandez
- Daniil Medvedev
- Flavio Cobolli
- Arthur Fils
- Nikoloz Basilashvili
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Mirra Andreeva
- Jessica Pegula
- Coco Gauff
- Elina Svitolina
- Linda Noskova
- WTA Finals
- Ningbo Open
- Elena Rybakina
- ATP Finals
- Daniil Medvedev
- Almaty Open
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