"I still need to win a lot of matches" - Elena Rybakina discloses her priorities ahead of Ningbo showdown with Jasmine Paolini

Saturday, 18 October 2025 at 02:30

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina booked her spot to the semifinals at the 2025 Ningbo Open, and is one step closer to qualifying for the year-ending WTA Finals. However, the tennis star admitted to having other concerns over participating at the event.

Rybakina made quick work of Ajla Tomljanovic in the quarterfinals, scoring a ruthless 6-2 6-0 victory over the Aussie veteran. Awaiting Rybakina in the semifinals is Italian Jasmine Paolini, who recorded a three set win over Swiss star Belinda Bencic to secure her ticket to the final four in Ningbo.

Both Rybakina and Paolini are in the hunt for qualification to the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The elite event features the top eight singles players battle it out for the prestigious trophy, with American Coco Gauff prevailing at the 2024 edition.

Six of the eight spots have been confirmed for this year's event, with Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff all having qualified. Americans Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys have also secured their tickets to the event, with just two spots left up for grabs.

Rybakina would like to end the year on a strong note

The World No.9 has a shot at booking her appearance at the WTA Finals, although she would have to defeat Paolini in order to keep her chances alive. The Kazakh star is 320 points behind eighth position, with Paolini and Russian Mirra Andreeva currently occupying the final two spots.

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Nonetheless, Rybakina has stated she feels no pressure to qualify for the event. The former World No.3 stated she would rather finish the 2025 season with a good bill of health, backed by strong performances at the remaining events on her calendar.

"I won’t say it’s pressure,” said Rybakina. “Of course it would be nice to qualify. But I know for this I still need to win a lot of matches. Not only here, but also next week (in Tokyo).
"I just try to finish the season as best as possible. Most important is to stay healthy,” said the star. “The season has been very long. Not that successful for me. But I still think it’s been pretty decent. Just important to stay healthy and be ready for the next one."

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Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.

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