Elena Rybakina Makes ‘Very Upset’ Comment After Defending Ningbo Open Title

Elena Rybakina defended her title at the Ningbo Open with a 6-2, 6-2 scoreline against Leylah Fernandez. It was here last year that Rybakina started regaining her form, and she carried that momentum to the WTA Finals, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka.

Rybakina clinched back-to-back wins against the Belarusian ace, this time defeating her in the Australian Open final. After losing the Indian Wells final to the four-time Grand Slam singles champion, Rybakina beat Karolina Muchova in the Stuttgart Open final before losing the Canadian Open to Iga Swiatek.

The Kazakh ace took home her third Grand Slam title of the year by defeating Sabalenka in the US Open final before winning the title in Ningbo, a “special place” for her.

Very happy, and definitely for me, Ningbo is already a special place. Last year, I started to play really well from this tournament, and all the way through, so hopefully it’s going to give me more motivation and more good energy to continue this season and start the next one. I feel like I was getting better with each match this week, and today it was a really solid performance from my side. I hope that next week I can continue as well.

Elena Rybakina told reporters (H/T: Tennis365)

Rybakina now holds a 15-13 win-loss record in finals. In Grand Slam events, she has a 3-1 record, winning this year’s Australian Open and the US Open, 2022 Wimbledon, and losing the 2023 Australian Open.

I remember I was getting very upset, always losing in the finals and now it’s going my way. Of course, I cannot expect it all the time. The final is the final, and there is an opponent who wants to win as much as you. I hope I can continue this way all the way till my career finishes. For now, it’s working, and I’m really glad that it is going my way.

Elena Rybakina added

She will next be competing at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, where she will lock horns with Yulia Putintseva or Maria Sakkari in the opening round. Belinda Bencic is the reigning champion in Tokyo. She defeated Linda Noskova last year.

Elena Rybakina reflects on her 2026 season

Elena Rybakina has now won the most titles on the WTA Tour this season. Following the US Open, she dethroned Aryna Sabalenka from the No.1 ranking. During her interview with WTA, Rybakina was asked whether the 2026 season is the best season of her career.

I think in terms of the results, and what I achieved this year, it’s definitely the best one. Two Grand Slams and being number one, reaching this goal. It’s now just a matter of finishing strong, but I think that for now that’s the best year. Last season was quite difficult, and of course I started to play much better at the end of the season.

Following the Pan Pacific Open, Rybakina will gear up for the WTA Finals, which runs from November 8 to 15 in Indian Wells. Rybakina has already qualified for the season-ending championships.

The other seven players who have secured a place in the top 8 are: Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Muchova, and Linda Noskova. Svitolina won in 2018 and lost the following year’s final to Ashleigh Barty. Gauff beat Qinwen Zheng in the final of this event in 2024.

Iga Swiatek, the champion in the event in 2023, won’t be competing as she has already ended her season after picking up a thigh injury during the Wuhan Open semifinal against eventual champion Maja Chwalinska.

Also read: Iga Swiatek Praised for Making ‘Wise Decision’ by Retired World No.1 After Pole Ends Her 2026 Season