A title defense in China moved forward quickly, though not the way anyone wanted.
Elena Rybakina advanced to the Ningbo Open quarterfinals on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, after Polina Kudermetova retired with an injury while trailing 5 to 0 in the first set.
What happened in Elena Rybakina’s match?
Kudermetova called for the physio when she was down 3 to 0 and tried to keep playing before deciding to stop. She was visibly emotional as she left the court. The match was in the second round. It lasted only a short time before the retirement.
The nature of her injury was not disclosed. It was a painful end to a week in which she had already battled through difficult matches. Retirements have been a recurring theme in Ningbo this week, with several players pulling out midmatch as the long season takes its toll.
Elena Rybakina said Kudermetova had played several tough matches and that conditions in Ningbo were not easy, noting the balls were quite heavy. She wished her opponent a quick recovery and said she hoped the injury was not serious.
Who will Elena Rybakina play next?
Elena Rybakina will face Katarzyna Kawa of Poland, who upset fifth seed Belinda Bencic 7 to 5, 6 to 2. Bencic, a former Olympic gold medalist, had been among the favorites to make a deep run. Kawa will look to build on the biggest win of her week against the defending champion.
Elena Rybakina is the defending champion in Ningbo, where the tournament is played on hard courts. She beat Ekaterina Alexandrova in last year’s final.
Rybakina won the 2022 Wimbledon title and captured the WTA Finals last year, cementing her status as one of the sport’s most dangerous players on fast courts. Born in Moscow, she has represented Kazakhstan since 2018. Her serve is widely considered one of the best on the women’s tour.
How did Alex Eala fare in Ningbo?
Alex Eala of the Philippines saved six match points before falling 7 to 5, 6 to 4 to sixth seed Diana Shnaider in the round of 16. Eala battled throughout and repeatedly fought off Shnaider’s attempts to close out the match.
Shnaider reached the quarterfinals in Ningbo for the third time in four appearances. Eala had snapped a losing streak of three matches with her opening win over Diane Parry earlier this week. Eala, 21, has become a star in the Philippines and one of the most closely followed young players in women’s tennis. Her run this fall has included tough losses, including a defeat to a qualifier in Wuhan.
What does Ningbo mean for the WTA Finals?
The tournament settled the final spot at next month’s WTA Finals. Marta Kostyuk retired from her match in Ningbo, handing the last place in the field to Karolina Muchova. The WTA Finals, which bring together the season’s top eight players, begin Nov. 8 at Indian Wells, California.
Iga Swiatek, who was also in the running, withdrew from Ningbo earlier this week with a left thigh injury. Kostyuk needed to reach the Ningbo final to keep her hopes alive.
What is next for Elena Rybakina?
A quarterfinal with Kawa, and a chance to keep her title defense on track. The heavy conditions she described could test even her powerful serve. A win would put her in the semifinals, two victories from defending her title.
Elena Rybakina will look to close out the season strong as she aims for a second straight Ningbo crown. Ningbo is one of the final stops on the WTA calendar before the season finale, giving players a last chance to build momentum.
