Paolini beats Rybakina to win WTA Finals debut

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — World No.4 Jasmine Paolini made a winning debut at the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF, defeating No.5 Elena Rybakina 7-6(5), 6-4 on Day 1.

WTA Finals Riyadh: Scores | Schedule | Standings

With the victory, Paolini joined World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka atop the Purple Group with a 1-0 record. She also improved to 3-2 against Rybakina.

Three takeaways from Paolini’s first career win at the WTA Finals:

Paolini’s poise: The 28-year-old Italian is the second-oldest player to make her WTA Finals debut, trailing only Li Na, who was 29 in 2011. But in a season of first-time milestones, Paolini was once again unfazed by the moment. Not even a prematch meeting with Brazilian football star Neymar could rattle the affable Italian.

Paolini and Rybakina split their two meetings this season, both coming on clay and both going a full three sets. Paolini won the most consequential showdown, a gritty win in the Roland Garros quarterfinals en route to her first major final.

Facing down Rybakina for the first time since, Paolini broke first to lead 4-2 before handing back the break immediately to give the 2022 Wimbledon champion a boost of confidence. The two traded holds to take the opener into a tiebreak, where Paolini’s match toughness helped her surge to take the lead.

Having held off Rybakina in the edgy first set, Paolini dominated the second to seal the 1-hour and 44-minute win. In an impressive stat that underlines Paolini’s remarkable poise in 2024, only two players have won more tiebreaks than the Italian this season. Paolini won her 11th tiebreak, behind only Jessica Pegula (12) and Linda Noskova (13).

Rybakina’s rust: Paolini is the only player to qualify in both singles and doubles this season, and Saturday’s match was her 104th of the season. In contrast, Rybakina was playing just her third match since making the Wimbledon semifinal and her first since the US Open.

“I didn’t know what to expect too much, because she’s not playing since [US Open],” Paolini said. “But I knew that here she’s going to serve very well. So I was ready to fight, especially on my service game, trying to be every service game focused, and trying to be close in the score. And I said to myself, when you have the occasion, you have to try to break her.”

Rybakina looked sharper than expected for much of the first set, but the rust began to show on crucial points and as the match wore on. She struck 56 unforced errors in the match and converted just one of five break points.

Before the tournament, Rybakina said she came into Riyadh with low expectations, but was hopeful she could play herself into both form and confidence. Still, there were positives for Rybakina to take away from the match, as she readies to take on No.1 Sabalenka. Despite serving at just 50 percent, she fired eight aces and struck 27 winners compared to Paolini’s 12.

“Today was a tough one,” Rybakina said. “I had some opportunities and chances in the first set, I had a lot of break points but didn’t convert them.

“Overall, I think it was a good one. From such a break, I think that was not so bad, the level of my game after just two and a half weeks of preparation. I’m looking forward to the next match and hopefully I can do better.”

Paolini faces a tough test: There’s no time to rest for Paolini. Not only will she begin her doubles campaign with Sara Errani on Sunday, but she’ll need to prepare for World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka on Monday. She’ll then face Zheng in the final match of group play on Wednesday.

Zheng lost in straight sets in her opener to Sabalenka, but the Chinese No.1 is 3-0 against Paolini, including a three-set win a few weeks ago in Wuhan.

After Day 1, here are the qualification scenarios for the Purple Group:

• If Sabalenka and Zheng win, Sabalenka advances as group winner and Rybakina is eliminated (Zheng and Paolini would play for the No.2 spot on Wednesday)
• If Sabalenka wins in straight sets and Rybakina wins in three sets, Sabalenka advances (position tbd)
• If Paolini and Rybakina win, Paolini advances as the group winner and Zheng is eliminated (Rybakina and Sabalenka play for the No.2 spot on Wednesday)
• If Paolini wins in straight sets and Zheng wins in three sets, Paolini advances (position tbd)
• Any other combination of results will mean advancement comes down to the final round-robin matches.