Rybakina confirms her reign with her fourth title of the season

Fernando Murciego - 25 Oct 2026 | 11:49
WTA Elena Rybakina Leylah Annie Fernández WTA Ningbo 2026

Notable week for the Kazakh in Ningbo, where she capped it off this Sunday with a final against Leylah Fernández in which the wind only blew in one direction. Although it is not yet mathematical, Rybakina is practically ensuring she finishes the year at the top of the ranking.

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Rybakina confirms her reign with her fourth title of the season. Source: Getty

Elena Rybakina needed a week like this. After rising to number one in the world following the US Open, her start on the Asian tour had raised some doubts, but this WTA 500 in Ningbo has cleared them all completely. The Kazakh tennis player convincingly defeated Leylah Fernandez (6-2, 6-2) to confirm that there is no one better than her.

A victory that allows her to defend the title she won here last year, lift the fifteenth trophy of her career, and add a new chapter to a season that is already the best of her professional journey. The win holds special significance, as it is the first time Rybakina has claimed a title since becoming number one in the world ranking. Far from feeling the pressure that comes with that position, the Kazakh responded this morning with another display, dominating her tennis against a Fernandez who barely found solutions to stop her power from the back of the court.

The score reflects the superiority of a player who seems to have found the necessary consistency to dominate the circuit. With this triumph, Rybakina reaches 53 victories so far in 2026 and adds four titles this season, a figure that places her as the player with the most individual trophies of the year. Now she just needs the end of the calendar to grant her the points that ensure her presence at the top of the WTA.

Four titles and a season to remember

The success in Ningbo completes a collection of highly valuable titles for a Rybakina who had already won the Australian Open, Stuttgart, and the US Open before adding another crown to her resume in China. An extraordinary season that combines consistency, power, and the ability to respond on the big stages.

Moreover, this result represents a practically definitive step toward another major goal: finishing the year as the number one in the world. The Kazakh has reinforced her position at the top of the standings and has the end of the season looking very promising. However, it's not yet mathematically secure, so she will have to wait for the last events on the calendar to officially certify that achievement.

The final against Fernandez was another demonstration of authority, with Rybakina resolving the match in two sets, with a double 6-2 that left no room for surprises and confirmed her status as the current benchmark in women's tennis. With 53 victories and four titles in 2026, the Kazakh faces the final stretch of the calendar with ample arguments to continue expanding her trophy collection. Her challenge now will be to maintain this level and turn an outstanding year into a campaign that's hard to forget. Will she don the master's outfit again? Will she seal it with a cherry on top in Indian Wells?

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rybakina confirma su reinado con su cuarto título de la temporada