Rybakina to meet Kudermetova in Ningbo Open round of 16 on October 22

Elena Rybakina and Polina Kudermetova will meet in the round of 16 at the Ningbo Open 2026 on October 22 at the Yinzhou Tennis Center in Ningbo, China. Rybakina, the top seed and defending champion, advances into the match after a first-round bye while Kudermetova reached the last 16 via qualifying.

Rybakina arrives as the World No. 1 after losing her opening match in Beijing; this is only her second tournament since the US Open and she withdrew from Wuhan, having been managed for a left foot injury. The break from competition follows the US Open and Wuhan withdrawal noted in tournament reports.

Kudermetova, ranked 105th, came through qualifying with wins over Anastasia Zakharova and Mananchaya Sawangkaew and then defeated wild card Cristina Bucsa 7-6(5), 6-2 in the first round. The 23-year-old qualifier is described in coverage as a player with a big serve and carries limited expectations into the match.

The pair have met once previously on tour at the Berlin Open in 2023, where Rybakina won that round of 32 clash in straight sets on grass. Commentators writing about the matchup note Rybakina’s power and experience as advantages, but also suggest that any lingering rust could produce a slow start and give Kudermetova a slight opening.

Viewers in India can watch the match live on WTA TV with a subscription, and via cable providers or streaming platforms that carry Tennis Channel India. In the United Kingdom the match will be shown on Sky Sports and streamed on the Sky Sports app and NOW; in the United States the WTA 500 clash will be broadcast on Tennis Channel and is available through streaming services such as FuboTV and Sling TV.

The Ningbo Open round of 16 match between Rybakina and Kudermetova is scheduled for October 22 (Thursday) at the Yinzhou Tennis Center in Ningbo, China, with a start time of 7:00 PM local time (4:30 PM IST).