Rybakina dismantled Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 to book her spot in the Ningbo Open final. The top seed controlled the match from start to finish, breaking serve twice in the second set to secure the victory after dropping the opener.
She'll face Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's final. Fernandez advanced through her own semifinal, setting up a matchup between two players hunting for a title this week in China.
Rybakina has been the class of the draw at Ningbo. She's playing the kind of tennis that's kept her ranked number one, combining her usual power with clean shot selection. Shnaider pushed back in stretches, particularly early in the second set, but couldn't find enough answers.
The final offers Fernandez a chance to upset the favorite on hardcourt, where Rybakina's serve and flat groundstrokes typically dominate. Fernandez plays a different game, relying on movement and variety to disrupt opponents. If she can keep points short and dictate early, she has a path to the title. Rybakina, though, remains the heavy favorite to close this out.