Rybakina beats Kawa in three sets to reach the Ningbo semi-finals and 51 wins for the year
World number one Elena Rybakina beat Katarzyna Kawa 6/1, 3/6, 6/3 in 1h45 on Friday to reach the WTA 500 in Ningbo semi-finals. It was her 51st win of 2026, making her the player with the most victories this year, ahead of Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva on 50 each.
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Ningbo (China) – Elena Rybakina está na semifinal do WTA 500 de Ningbo. Nesta sexta-feira, a cazaque, atual número 1 do mundo, precisou de 1h45 e de três sets para superar a polonesa Katarzyna Kawa, que veio do quali, fechando em 6/1, 3/6 e 6/3.
O resultado teve peso na contabilidade da temporada: foi a 51ª vitória de Rybakina em 2026 e a isolou como a jogadora com mais triunfos no ano. Logo atrás vêm Jessica Pegula, dos Estados Unidos, e Mirra Andreeva, da Rússia, com 50 triunfos cada uma.
Agora a disputa é por outro posto. Com os títulos do Australian Open, de Stuttgart e do US Open, a cazaque soma três conquistas na temporada e divide a liderança com Andreeva e com a bielorrussa Aryna Sabalenka. Uma quarta taça nesta semana, em Ningbo, a deixaria sozinha também nesse ranking.
Quem tenta barrar Rybakina na semi é Diana Shnaider. A russa avançou mais cedo ao virar sobre Iva Jovic, dos Estados Unidos, em 2h11 de partida, com 6/3, 4/6 e 6/1.
No jogo que fechou a programação, Rybakina abriu com três games seguidos e quebrou outra vez no sexto, fechando a parcial inicial sem sustos. Kawa reagiu no segundo set, marcado por quebras: converteu três de dez break-points e salvou sete dos nove que enfrentou, devolvendo o empate ao placar.
A resposta veio no serviço. No set decisivo, o aproveitamento de Rybakina no fundamento saltou de 42% para 76%, o que tirou qualquer ameaça a seus games e permitiu duas quebras para selar a classificação.
Na outra metade da chave, Marie Bouzkova foi a primeira a garantir lugar na semifinal. A tcheca abriu o dia na quadra central diante de Sara Bejlek, sua compatriota, e venceu em sets diretos, 6/3 e 6/4, em 1h47.
Sua adversária será Leylah Fernandez. A canadense entrou em quadra na sequência e virou sobre a russa Ekaterina Alexandrova: 4/6, 6/2 e 6/1, em 2h06.
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