China’s Yue Yuan, ranked No.108 and the nation’s third-highest player, stepped onto court in Ningbo looking to test herself against world No.10 Ekaterina Alexandrova — a career-high for the in-form Russian. The 27-year-old Yuan, often dubbed the best of the rest behind compatriots Qinwen Zheng and Xinyu Wang, has built her reputation on disciplined, aggressive baseline play and quiet consistency on home soil.
Alexandrova Overpowers Yue Yuan Despite Late Resistance in Ningbo
But Alexandrova was in no mood for sentiment. Riding her best-ever ranking, the Russian delivered a clinical 6–3, 6–3 victory built on precise serving and flat, penetrating groundstrokes that left Yuan scrambling behind the baseline. Despite the loss, Yuan’s composure and fight in the second set underscored why she remains one of China’s most dependable performers just outside the Top 100. This time she was able to edge ahead 0–2 and 2–3 in the second set before Alexandrova’s class shone through — the world No.10 reeling off four straight games to seal the win in commanding fashion.
Alexandrova vs Yuan – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Alexandrova | Yuan |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.73 | 0.58 |
| Serve Rating | 291 | 213 |
| Aces | 11 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 3 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 71% (35/49) | 59% (42/71) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 83% (29/35) | 57% (24/42) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 40% (6/15) | 39% (12/31) |
| Break Points Saved | 0% (0/1) | 60% (6/10) |
| Service Games | 89% (8/9) | 56% (5/9) |
| Ace % | 22.4% | 5.6% |
| Double Fault % | 6.1% | 2.8% |
| Return Rating | 188 | 188 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 43% (18/42) | 17% (6/35) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 61% (19/31) | 60% (9/15) |
| Break Points Won | 40% (4/10) | 100% (1/1) |
| Return Games | 44% (4/9) | 11% (1/9) |
| Pressure Points | 36% (4/11) | 64% (7/11) |
| Service Points | 71% (35/49) | 51% (36/71) |
| Return Points | 49% (35/71) | 29% (14/49) |
| Total Points | 58% (70/120) | 42% (50/120) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 3 |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 6 |
| Total Games Won | 67% (12/18) | 33% (6/18) |
| Max Games In A Row | 4 | 4 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Match Duration | 1h 28m | |
Kessler is next for Ekaterina Alexandrova
Alexandrova will now face surprise package McCartney Kessler in the quarterfinals.
America’s Kessler produced one of the standout performances of the round, defeating Liudmila Samsonova 7–6(5), 6–1 to advance to the quarterfinals. The win marks one of the biggest of the 26-year-old’s career against a top-tier opponent.
Kessler vs Samsonova – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Kessler | Samsonova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.24 | 0.80 |
| Serve Rating | 254 | 210 |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 4 | 5 |
| 1st Serve % | 61% (43/71) | 49% (30/61) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 67% (29/43) | 70% (21/30) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 46% (13/28) | 38% (12/32) |
| Break Points Saved | 75% (6/8) | 20% (1/5) |
| Service Games | 80% (8/10) | 56% (5/9) |
| Ace % | 5.6% | 3.3% |
| Double Fault % | 5.6% | 8.2% |
| Return Rating | 217 | 132 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 30% (9/30) | 33% (14/43) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 63% (20/32) | 54% (15/28) |
| Break Points Won | 80% (4/5) | 25% (2/8) |
| Return Games | 44% (4/9) | 20% (2/10) |
| Pressure Points | 77% (10/13) | 23% (3/13) |
| Service Points | 59% (42/71) | 49% (30/61) |
| Return Points | 51% (31/61) | 41% (29/71) |
| Total Points | 55% (73/132) | 45% (59/132) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 1 |
| Max Points In A Row | 9 | 5 |
| Total Games Won | 63% (12/19) | 37% (7/19) |
| Max Games In A Row | 5 | 5 |
| Match Duration | 1h 44m | |