Photo by CN-STR / AFP via Getty Images

The Asian Swing rolled on this past week, with a WTA 500 in Ningbo and a 250 in Osaka. 

We saw proven champions take the titles in both cities, though they registered different levels of surprise. One has hoisted more trophies than any other player in 2026; for the other, it had been a minute.

Plus, the WTA Finals field continued to take shape, we got our 2027 International Tennis Hall of Fame nominees and a legend celebrated a star-studded birthday.

Here's everything that went down on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz last week as we inch closer to the end of the season. 

After a season-long race, the world's top players converge in the California desert with the WTA's biggest title still to be won.

Star of the Week

Elena Rybakina

Make it back-to-back titles in Ningbo for Rybakina, the World No. 1 who just continues to win in the best season of her career. After Polina Kudermetova retired trailing 5-0 in the first set in Rybakina's opening match, she went on to beat qualifier Katarzyna Kawa, sixth-seeded Diana Shnaider and Leylah Fernandez to win her WTA Tour-leading fourth title of the season. Her 53 wins also leads the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, and she's now won the same tournament in consecutive years for the first time.

Rybakina is playing in Tokyo this week, and with one win she will secure the year-end No. 1 ranking.

Safe to say that she's comfortably in form as her WTA Finals title defense nears.

Honorable Mention: Katerina Siniakova, who won her sixth career singles title in Osaka, and first since 2023. She dropped just one set all week, beating Peyton Stearns, Magda Linette, Mary Stoiana, Katie Boulter and Ashlyn Krueger. The final against Krueger was hardly competitive, with Siniakova winning 6-1, 6-0 in just 64 minutes.

Breakthrough of the Week

Katarzyna Kawa

Kawa upset seeded players Katie Volynets and Daria Snigur in qualifying to reach the main draw. Then, in an ironic first-round matchup, she played Snigur a second time, after the Ukrainian got in as a lucky loser. Kawa came from behind to make it back-to-back wins against Snigur, and then stunned fifth-seeded Belinda Bencic in the second round (more on that below). In the quarterfinals, she pushed World No. 1 and eventual champion Rybakina to three sets.

A highly impressive weekend for the 33-year-old veteran, who made her WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz debut way back in 2010. 

Best Match of the Week

Diana Shnaider d. Iva Jovic, Ningbo quarterfinals

Don't let the scoreline deceive you. No, it wasn't 7-6 in the third, but Shnaider's 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win over Jovic was as high quality as it gets, with some of the best rallies and most incredible shot-making we've seen all Asian Swing.

After dropping the second set, Shnaider rebounded in the decider with the perfect blend of power and touch, complementing a strong offensive effort with clutch defense. She converted her third match point with her fourth ace of the match.

Best Comeback of the Week

Leylah Fernandez d. Elise Mertens, Ningbo first round

Fernandez's run to the Ningbo final was nearly over before it got off the ground. The Canadian trailed seventh-seeded Mertens 5-3 in the third set before winning the final four games for the 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win.

Biggest Upset of the Week

Katarzyna Kawa d. Belinda Bencic, Ningbo second round

As mentioned above, Kawa played her first WTA match 16 years ago. Over that span, she had never beaten a Top 20 player. That changed in Ningbo, when she beat fifth-seeded Bencic 7-5, 6-2. With the win, the then-World No. 128 -- she has since moved up to a career-high No. 106 in the PIF WTA Rankings -- advanced to the quarterfinals at a WTA 500 event or higher for the first time.

Shot of the Week

Iva Jovic's crosscourt forehand passing shot

This whole point was exceptional, from both players. 

In the final point of the second set, both players pushed each other from angle to angle and line to line over the course of a 23-shot rally. Jovic hit a perfect drop shot to bring Shnaider in, then hit a crosscourt forehand passing shot for the winner.

WTA Finals Updates of the Week

Four more qualifications secured

The WTA Finals field is almost set. Karolina Muchova snagged the final singles qualification berth, completing the eight-player singles field. And in doubles, three teams booked their spots at Indian Wells: Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic, Cristina Bucsa and Nicole Melichar-Martinez, and Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai. 

Biggest Off-Court News of the Week

2027 Hall of Fame nominees announced

Ashleigh Barty, a 15-time WTA champion and four-time Grand Slam champion, is on the International Tennis Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. She's joined by Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is making her second appearance on the ballot. Kuznetsova won 18 WTA singles titles and 16 doubles titles during her 15-year career.

Social Moment of the Week

A legend celebrates her 70th

Happy 70th, Martina! Navratilova's birthday bash was held at Casa Matilda in Miami, and the icon celebrated her big day with some legendary friends. The guest list included Pam Shriver, Chris Evert, Rosie Casals, Mary Carillo, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Chanda Rubin and Gigi Fernandez.