As expected, Elena Rybakina had already secured a spot in the semifinals of the 2025 WTA Finals before playing on Wednesday. Still, her last round-robin match was important for ranking points and keeping her perfect record in Riyadh.

She faced Ekaterina Alexandrova, who had beaten her before. But Rybakina played very well and won 6‑4, 6‑4 in just 1 hour and 14 minutes. She served strongly and hit smart shots to keep Alexandrova on the defensive. What stood out most, however, was that she played with her right shoulder taped, yet it clearly didn’t slow her down. The win gave her a flawless 3‑0 record in the Serena Williams Group.

After the match, Rybakina spoke about the challenge of maintaining her form. When asked about playing so many matches with a taped shoulder, she replied with a s

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