Rybakina Retains Ningbo Crown With Dominant Straight-Sets Win

Elena Rybakina retained her Ningbo Open title on Sunday, overpowering Canada's Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 to secure her fourth title of the 2025 season.

Playing on Center Court in Ningbo, the world No. 1 produced a controlled and efficient display. The final was completed in one hour and 16 minutes, with Rybakina breaking Fernandez's serve four times across the two sets.

The opening set brought a brief challenge. Rybakina was forced to save consecutive break points early on, but she recovered quickly and won five games in succession to take the set.

In the second set, Rybakina continued at the same high level. She broke Fernandez twice more and closed the match without any real resistance.

The win is Rybakina's 15th tour-level title and her seventh WTA 500 trophy. Two of those WTA 500 titles have come in Ningbo, and this victory makes her a back-to-back champion at the event.

Rybakina's season has been among the strongest of her career. She previously won the Australian Open, Stuttgart and the US Open, and she became world No. 1 during the US Open.

The victory was her third consecutive tour-level win against Fernandez. Her head-to-head lead now stands at 4-2. Rybakina also has won eight matches in a row in Asian WTA 500 events.

Following the final, Rybakina thanked the fans for their energy and support. She said the atmosphere in Ningbo was fantastic and that competing in front of the crowd is always a pleasure. She added that Ningbo is a special place for her, especially after winning there twice.