Elena Rybakina continued her outstanding 2026 season by defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 to retain the Ningbo Open title, claiming her first trophy since becoming world number one.

The top-seeded Kazakh delivered a commanding performance in Sunday’s final in Ningbo, China, overpowering the unseeded Canadian to strengthen her position in the race to finish the year at the top of the WTA rankings.

Rybakina established control in the opening set with her trademark power, breaking Fernandez in the fifth game before producing a powerful crosscourt backhand winner to move 4-2 ahead. The 27-year-old maintained her momentum and closed out the set 6-2 in just 38 minutes.

Fernandez, ranked 30th in the world, started the second set with greater intensity but struggled to contain Rybakina’s aggressive game. The Kazakh absorbed the early pressure, forced an error to break for a 2-1 lead and continued to dominate as she moved closer to victory.

The straight-sets triumph marks another milestone in a remarkable campaign for Rybakina, who won the Australian Open and US Open titles before rising to the top of the world rankings.

Her successful title defence in Ningbo also provides a timely confidence boost following disappointing results in Beijing and Wuhan. The victory gives her an important advantage as she seeks to secure the year-end number one ranking.

Rybakina will now turn her attention to the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, scheduled for the following week, before preparing for the season-ending WTA Finals, which begin on November 8 in Indian Wells, according to the report.

With another trophy secured and her powerful game delivering results, Rybakina has strengthened her position as one of the leading figures in women’s tennis in 2026.

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