Ningbo [China], October 26: World No. 1 Elena Rybakina added another milestone to her standout 2026 season by defeating Canada's Leylah Fernandez in straight sets to win the BNB Ningbo Open title Sunday.
Rybakina needed just 1 hour, 16 minutes to defeat Fernandez 6-2, 6-2. She broke her opponent's serve twice in each set and did not drop her own serve throughout the final.
This is Rybakina's fourth title of the season, the most by any player in 2026. Her other titles this year came at the Australian Open, Stuttgart and the US Open.
"Very happy and definitely for me, Ningbo is already a special place," Rybakina told the media after the win.
"Last year, I started to play really well from this tournament and all the way, 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."
"I remember I was getting very upset, always losing in the finals and now it's going my way," she said. "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."
Source: Qatar Tribune
