China’s rising star Zheng Qinwen triumphed over a struggling Elena Rybakina, securing a 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-1 victory in an intense showdown at the WTA Finals.

With both players entering their second round-robin match in the Purple Group with 0-1 records, the clash marked a critical turning point in each player’s WTA Finals campaign.

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For Rybakina, the season has been marred by health challenges that have limited her match play since Wimbledon in mid-July, contributing to her limited form and match sharpness.

Meanwhile, Zheng, at just 22, has seen a breakthrough year, piling up 33 matches, including title runs in Palermo and Tokyo, and an Olympic gold-medal victory in Paris.

However, this success brought its own challenges, with fatigue likely looming over the young star. In a match where Rybakina’s fitness and Zheng’s fatigue were both put to the test and the Chinese emerged as the winner, claiming her first-ever victory over the Kazakh player in three encounters.

The opening set saw both players trading powerful blows from the baseline. Zheng and Rybakina lead the tour in aces, with Zheng tallying 420 this season and Rybakina close behind with 352, showcasing the power of their serves.

The players aggressively returned serves, and the first set became a test of mental and physical endurance, with only two service breaks coming from double faults. In the deciding tiebreak, Zheng seized an early advantage by winning Rybakina’s first two service points, maintaining this narrow edge to close out the tiebreak at 7-4 when a Rybakina backhand went long.

Rybakina fought back in the second set, bolstered by her powerful serve. Despite battling insomnia, allergies, and nagging injuries, the Kazakh player pushed through and displayed resilience when facing Zheng’s break points at 3-all.

Rybakina saved the break points with two aces and managed to turn the game around, moving up 4-3. Shortly after, Zheng struggled with a loose service game, allowing Rybakina to capitalise and close out the set 6-3, levelling the match and raising hopes for a comeback.

However, Zheng’s endurance and power came back to the fore in the decisive third set, as she broke Rybakina in the fourth game to take a commanding lead. The intensity took its toll on Rybakina, whose forehands started to look weary as Zheng returned forcefully and dictated the rallies.

With her home crowd cheering her on at the King Saud University Arena, where Chinese flags waved and chants of support filled the air, Zheng felt an outpouring of encouragement. “Fans yelling my nickname, like I am in China,” she said after the match.

Ultimately, Zheng sealed her victory with a break in the sixth game of the third set, closing out the match 6-1 and marking her first career win over Rybakina. The victory gives Zheng a fighting chance for a semifinal spot as she prepares for her final group-stage match against Jasmine Paolini.

Meanwhile, Rybakina now sits at 0-2 in the Purple Group, leaving her in a challenging position with one round-robin match remaining. Her fate in the tournament depends on the outcome of the match between world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini, which will determine her potential path forward.