Paolini defeats Rybakina 7-6, 6-4 on debut in Riyadh at the WTA Finals
The beginning of the end commenced in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia as the world’s elite eight gathered for the season-ending championships. Ten months ago, Elena Rybakina was firing on all cylinders, winning in Brisbane (d. Sabalenka) and Abu Dhabi (d. Kasatkina) and at the WTA 1000 in Dubai, lost via walkover to eventual champion, Jasmine Paolini from Italy.
The twenty-five-year-old reached two additional finals both at the 1000 level (Doha and Miami) before triumphing on the dirt at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart where en route to the final, she conquered Paolini in the quarters in three. The Italian would exact revenge, however, on the grand slam stage at Roland Garros with a three-set victory in the quarters.
Paolini, three years older, began the year just inside the top thirty and now is at a career-high rank of four. In a stellar season, she won…
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