Rybakina Completes Clean Sweep In Wta Finals Group

Elena Rybakina completed a cleanable expanse of her group astatine nan WTA Finals pinch a straightforward triumph complete precocious call-up Ekaterina Alexandrova.

The sixth seed, who sealed her progression to nan semi-finals connected Monday, continued her momentum pinch a 6-4 6-4 triumph successful Riyadh.

The Kazakh had been owed to play Madison Keys, but nan American - who could not beforehand - withdrew conscionable hours earlier nan commencement of nan lucifer because of illness.

Alexandrova was nan 2nd alternate, but received nan motion aft chap Russian and first action Mirra Andreeva, who is besides competing successful nan doubles successful Riyadh, declared she was not fresh to play.

"Ekaterina was a reliable opponent, particularly successful nan opening it was difficult to return," said Rybakina, who hit Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek earlier successful nan week.

"Every lucifer I play I want to triumph of course, each triumph gives you confidence. Hopefully I tin continue."

Anisimova and Swiatek look disconnected for nan 2nd qualification spot from nan Serena Williams Group later connected Wednesday.

The starring 8 women's players successful singles and doubles are competing successful Saudi Arabia, wherever £12m ($15.5m) successful prize money will beryllium won.

In nan Stefanie Graf Group, world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula each stay successful semi-final contention.

Sabalenka plays defending champion Gauff while Pegula faces nan already eliminated Jasmine Paolini successful Thursday's last round-robin matches.

Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina grounded to advancement past nan 4th information astatine immoderate of nan Slams successful 2025 but became nan first to suffice for nan Riyadh semis pinch her daze triumph complete Swiatek connected Monday - her first triumph complete nan Polish world number 2 from 5 meetings this year.

For her force Alexandrova, it has been a breakthrough twelvemonth and successful October she became nan 3rd oldest subordinate to debut successful nan apical 10, astatine nan property of 30 years and 11 months.

Before this lucifer she had led her head-to-head pinch Rybakina and started impressively, but was incapable to return her chances, squandering 3 break points earlier returning a forehand wide to manus nan first break and a 5-4 lead to Rybakina.

The big-hitting Rybakina, sporting portion connected her serving shoulder, served retired nan first group to emotion earlier breaking early successful nan second, her relentless unit forcing Alexandrova into different error, this clip disconnected nan backhand.

As Alexandrova's service continued to falter, Rybakina stepped up a cogwheel and she doubled her advantage pinch a sadistic forehand victor connected break point, only to instantly suffer 1 of her breaks erstwhile serving for nan match.

Her struggle to get complete nan decorativeness statement continued, forced to prevention 2 break points successful her adjacent work crippled earlier yet wrapping up triumph connected her 2nd lucifer constituent arsenic Alexandrova sent a backhand long.

In nan doubles, 2022 champions Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens confirmed their semi-final berth pinch a 6-3 6-3 triumph complete Paolini and Sara Errani.

They subordinate Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko successful advancing from nan Martina Navratilova Group.