Elena Rybakina says staying healthy matters more than WTA Finals qualification

“Today a lot of things went my way. Also some lines which I caught. Overall happy I won in straight sets. Looking forward to tomorrow,” Rybakina said.

The player was asked about WTA Finals qualification but downplayed any talk of feeling pressure from it.

“I won’t say it’s pressure,” she responded. “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.”

Instead, Rybakina explained that staying healthy was more important to her than securing a spot in Saudi Arabia come November.

“I just try to finish the season as best as possible. Most important is to stay healthy,” she said. “The season has been very long. Not that successful for me. But I still think it’s been pretty decent.”

The semi-final between Rybakina and Paolini is set for 18 October, with the order of play yet to be confirmed by organisers.

Rybakina’s focus on staying healthy, not just WTA Finals qualification

Rybakina lost just two games against Ajla Tomljanović to continue her run at the Chinese tournament.

She was happy with her performance, highlighting her serve as a key part of her game.

“Today a lot of things went my way. Also some lines which I caught. Overall happy I won in straight sets. Looking forward for tomorrow,” Rybakina said.

The 25-year-old was asked about WTA Finals qualification but played down any suggestion that she was feeling under pressure.

“I won’t say it’s pressure,” said the star. “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.”

Instead of focusing on qualifying for the Saudi Arabia event in November, Rybakina said she is more concerned about another issue before the season ends.

“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.”

She continued: “Just important to stay healthy and be ready for the next one.”

Ningbo Open semi-final between Rybakina and Paolini could decide WTA Finals spot

The tournament’s decision-makers couldn’t have scripted it better: Rybakina and Paolini will face off at the Ningbo Open with so much on the line.

If she falls short against Paolini, it’s hard to see how she’ll close that gap with time running out in 2025. Both players still have a path forward thanks to Mirra Andreeva’s recent struggles during the Asian swing.