Elena Rybakina blazed past unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 in the Ningbo Open final on Oct 25, to retain her title and lift her first trophy as the world No. 1 ahead of the WTA Finals in November.

The victory also helped the Kazakh to take a big step towards securing the year-end No. 1 ranking, further burnishing a spectacular season in which she won the Australian Open title before adding the US Open crown to reach the summit.

Top seed Rybakina made the breakthrough with her trademark power in the fifth game and then unleashed a searing cross-court backhand winner to go 4-2 up, before the 27-year-old wrapped up the opening set in only 38 minutes.

World No. 30 Fernandez made a bright start to the next set but Rybakina absorbed the pressure and raised her level to force an error and break for 2-1, with the three-time Grand Slam champion breezing to victory from there.

“Thank you all you guys for an amazing atmosphere,” the Moscow-born Kazakh said in her victory speech to the crowd.

“Every day it’s amazing to play in front of you. It gives a lot of motivation and energy to keep on going.

“A second win here, it’s such a special place for me.”

Rybakina’s latest triumph – her 15th WTA title – is a timely lift after setbacks in Beijing and Wuhan. She next turns her attention to the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo starting on Oct 26, before launching her title defence at the season finale in Indian Wells, California from Nov 8. REUTERS, AFP