WTA Finals Riyadh: Jasmine Paolini stuns an erratic Elena Rybakina with straight sets victory

Jasmine Paolini achieved a significant victory over Elena Rybakina at the WTA Finals. The Italian made a successful debut by defeating the 2022 Wimbledon champion 7-6, 6-4.

Rybakina, on the other hand, showed moments of strong tennis despite a long period without competition, but struggled to maintain consistency throughout the match, with unforced errors ultimately costing her.

Despite being over two months out of competition, Rybakina showed no signs of it early on. She won 7 of her first 8 service points, including two aces, making it clear that breaking her serve would not be easy for the Italian.

Still, with limited match play, it became challenging for Rybakina to maintain her level, and by the 6th game, she faced her first break, allowing Paolini to go ahead 4-2. The lead didn’t last long, as Rybakina took advantage of her second break point to quickly level the set at 4-4. As the games progressed, errors appeared on both sides, with Rybakina particularly struggling with her forehand, although her backhand allowed her to dictate the match’s pace.

The set parity led to a tiebreak, where Paolini held a 6-2 advantage, ultimately securing the set 7-6(5) after missing three set points. Rybakina played a more aggressive game, hitting 17 winners compared to Paolini’s 4, though her 36 unforced errors—against Paolini’s 16—proved costly.

The second set started on a fresh note for Rybakina, who raised her first serve percentage from 44% to over 65%. However, Paolini seemed to increasingly find her rhythm. Both players saved break points early in the set, but as it developed, Rybakina’s unforced errors resurfaced, leading to a break in the 7th game.

The Italian made no mistakes on her serve and ultimately sealed the win 7-6(5), 6-4, leaving her in a strong position in the group. Both players will return to the court on Monday for crucial Round Robin matches. Rybakina will face a tough challenge against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, while Paolini will take on Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen.