ASTANA – World No. 9 Elena Rybakina triumphed over Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova (WTA No. 10) in the final of the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo, China, capturing her 10th career singles title.
Elena Rybakina becomes the first Kazakhstan’s tennis player to reach the milestone of 10 WTA singles titles. Photo credit: Kazakhstan Tennis Federation.
With this victory, Rybakina became the first Kazakhstan’s player to reach the milestone of 10 WTA singles titles, including two WTA 1000 trophies and her historic Wimbledon Grand Slam win.
“This is a special victory. Every title has its own story, but the tenth is something symbolic. I am happy to finish the Asian part of the season like this. I want to thank my team and the fans in Kazakhstan – you are always with me, even on the other side of the world,” Rybakina said after the match.
Earlier, Kazakhstan has increased its voting power in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) from seven to nine votes following a decision supported by 91% of member nations at the organization’s annual general meeting, reported Kazakhstan Tennis Federation’s press service.
This elevation places Kazakhstan among 15 countries with nine votes, alongside Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland, the second-highest level of influence within the ITF.
According to Kazakhstan Tennis Federation President Bulat Utemuratov, the decision reflects the country’s rapid tennis development, strong junior and professional results, and modern infrastructure.
“Kazakhstan is now rightfully among the world’s strongest tennis nations,” he said.
Over 17,500 children now practice tennis across Kazakhstan, which hosts more than 250 tournaments annually, including over 40 international events.
For deeper insights into the development of tennis in Kazakhstan, read and watch The Astana Times’ full interview with Dave Miley, Executive Director at the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation. In it, Miley discusses the country’s long-term strategy to build a strong national program, emphasizing that “you need both more players and better players.”
