Rybakina Defends Ningbo Open Title for Fourth 2026 Win

Elena Rybakina defended her Ningbo Open title on October 25, defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 in the final for her fourth WTA Tour title of 2026. The win made Rybakina the first player to claim consecutive women’s singles titles at the tournament, according to tournament reporting. Rybakina took control of the final in 76 minutes, saving all four break points she faced and recording three aces. Fernandez, ranked 30th in the world, was seeking her seventh career title. Rybakina’s victory was her first trophy since becoming world No. 1 and added to her titles at the Australian Open, Stuttgart and the US Open. After the match, Rybakina reflected on a change in her results in finals. She said she had become upset by repeatedly losing title matches and was glad that results were now going her way. She also acknowledged that winning could not be expected every time, because each final has an opponent seeking the same result. The Ningbo title was Rybakina’s second in a row at the event. She won the tournament in 2025, a run that helped launch a strong finish to that season, including a title at the WTA Finals. She described Ningbo as a special place and said her form there the...