Elena Rybakina Books Ningbo Final, Faces Left-Hander Leylah Fernandez

Elena Rybakina advanced to the Ningbo Open final on Saturday, beating Russia's sixth seed Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre. The win puts the defending champion in position to take the title in consecutive years in the eastern Chinese city.

Rybakina needed 11 set points to close out the first set after breaking Shnaider's serve to lead 4-3 in the second. She was broken to love in the 10th game, then won the next two games to finish the match in straight sets. "It was an important game, and it was a long one," Rybakina said of the sequence that decided the opening set. "It was on my serve, and it was a struggle.. I'm glad it went my way."

Shnaider's left-handed game created problems for Rybakina during extended rallies. "We don't have so many on the tour," Rybakina said of left-handed opponents. "I needed some time. The returns were not as bad, but during the rallies, to switch the pattern was a little bit of an issue for me."

Earlier on Saturday, unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez reached the final by beating Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 7-5 in the first semifinal. Fernandez also plays left-handed, presenting Rybakina with the same grip on Sunday that she faced against Shnaider.

Rybakina, 27, arrived in Ningbo after losing heavily in Beijing and pulling out of Wuhan with a foot injury. She is the Australian Open and US Open champion and is seeded No. 1 at the Ningbo event.

After Sunday's final, Rybakina is scheduled to play the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, then begins the defence of her WTA Finals title at Indian Wells on Nov. 8. Asked about winning the Ningbo title in back-to-back years, she said, "It's never easy.. I'm going to fight and give my all tomorrow."

The Ningbo final is set for Sunday at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre.