Elena Rybakina powered past Czech rising star Linda Noskova 6–3, 6–4 at the Wuhan Open, delivering a commanding performance built on some smart tactics. The 20-year-old Noskova, who had just reached her first WTA 1000 final at the China Open the previous week, again showed flashes of brilliance — but Rybakina’s all-court aggression ultimately proved too much to handle.
Noskova Tired?
Linda Noskova looked visibly tired as the match wore on. The 2022 Wimbledon champion produced a near-flawless serving display, firing eight aces, committing no double faults, and not facing a single break point. Noskova, by contrast, struggled to find rhythm under constant pressure, committing eight double faults that repeatedly halted her momentum. She did manage to fire a few timely aces at crucial moments, but overall, her options on serve were limited. Rybakina frequently attacked the return with sharp precision, applying immediate pressure and taking control of points early — a tactic that proved highly effective.
Rybakina Throughout Very Effective On Second Serve
While Rybakina landed just 49% of her first serves, she made them count — winning an outstanding 77% of her service points compared to Noskova’s 56%. She also converted two of her twelve break opportunities, maintaining control throughout both sets and closing out the match in one hour and 28 minutes.
Yet beyond Rybakina’s aggression on return, the second key factor in this match was the quality of her own second serve. Time and again, she placed it with precision and depth, keeping Noskova off balance. The Czech tried throughout the match to attack those second serves but ultimately must have felt disappointed with how few of them she was able to handle effectively.
Noskova vs Rybakina – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Noskova | Rybakina |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.52 | 1.93 |
| Serve Rating | 240 | 312 |
| Aces | 6 | 8 |
| Double Faults | 8 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 52% (44/84) | 49% (28/57) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 68% (30/44) | 86% (24/28) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 44% (18/41) | 69% (20/29) |
| Break Points Saved | 83% (10/12) | – |
| Service Games Won | 78% (7/9) | 100% (10/10) |
| Ace % | 7.1% | 14% |
| Double Fault % | 9.5% | 0% |
| Return Rating | 45 | 127 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 14% (4/28) | 32% (14/44) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 31% (9/29) | 56% (23/41) |
| Break Points Won | – | 17% (2/12) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/10) | 22% (2/9) |
| Service Points Won | 56% (47/84) | 77% (44/57) |
| Return Points Won | 23% (13/57) | 44% (37/84) |
| Total Points Won | 43% (60/141) | 57% (81/141) |
| Pressure Points Won | 83% (10/12) | 17% (2/12) |
| Match Points Saved | 1 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 7 |
| Total Games Won | 7/19 (37%) | 12/19 (63%) |
| Max Games In A Row | 1 | 5 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Match Duration | 1h 28m | |
What’s Next For Rybakina?
The win not only secured Rybakina’s place in the Wuhan 2025 quarterfinals but also pushed her into the Top 8 in the WTA Race, where she now sits just behind Jasmine Paolini, who remains in contention.
Next up for Rybakina is a blockbuster clash with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka — a matchup that could prove pivotal in the battle for qualification to the WTA Finals in Riyadh.