Key events
*Alexandrova 4-3 Rybakina (* denotes server): Alexandrova is dominating in the ace column, sending down her sixth of the match to go 40-15 up. Her second serve does the job, too, with Rybakina’s backhand going wild.
Alexandrova 3-3 Rybakina* (* denotes server): Rybakina sends down a blistering serve to Alexandrova’s backhand; it’s not one for returning. At 30-all, Alexandrova returns with a stonking forehand winner: break point. Rybakina’s whippy backhand makes it deuce … and she saves another break point to hold.
*Alexandrova 3-2 Rybakina (* denotes server): Rybakina attacks Alexandrova’s second serve, coming inside to hit a deep forehand return that makes it 15-30. The former steps into a backhand winner to make it 30-40, but Alexandrova resists, closing the game with an ace.
Alexandrova 2-2 Rybakina* (* denotes server): Rybakina has her flow now, the forehand winners taking her to a love hold.
*Alexandrova 2-1 Rybakina (* denotes server): Rybakina wins her first point on Alexandrova’s serve, whipping a delicious, unreachable forehand into the corner. But Alexandrova’s game remains in good order, holding to 30.
Alexandrova 1-1 Rybakina* (* denotes server): This is quite the start from Alexandrova. She takes us to 0-30 before Rybakina wallops a big serve to set up an advance to the net, smashing away for her first point of the match. A forehand slice goes long from Alexandrova, taking us to 30-all. Rybakina nets a backhand: break point. Alexandrova’s backhand finds the net, too. Rybakina keeps her cool to go level.
*Alexandrova 1-0 Rybakina (* denotes server): And we’re off. It’s Alexandrova who gets us going, and with some style too: a couple of forehand winners as she holds to love.
Alexandrova actually leads the head-to-head (3-2) with Rybakina. That being said, Rybakina triumphed when they met in the final at Ningbo last month 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. The pair make their way out on to the court – we’ll be up and running shortly.
Alexandrova replaces Keys because Mirra Andreeva, the world No 9, “elected to not sign in due to not being fit to play today”, says the WTA.
This, from a few days ago, is an insightful piece on how players are being let down by the WTA.
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to another day at the WTA Finals. With all due respect to our opening clash, the real contest is between Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova.
Their meeting in the Wimbledon final four months ago was historically one-sided, Swiatek triumphing 6-0, 6-0, yet it took just a few weeks for Anisimova to make an astonishing recovery. The American pulled off a straight-sets win against Swiatek in the US Open quarters and now we go to the end of the trilogy. Today’s winner will advance to the semi-finals in Riyadh.
Before that we’ve got Elena Rybakina against Madison Keys Ekaterina Alexandrova. Keys has dropped out with illness in what is a dead rubber, so in comes the world No 10. Rybakina will look to continue her 100% record, having defeated Swiatek and Anisimova to book her last-four spot.
