Elena Rybakina rudely dispatched Amanda Anisimova on her WTA Finals debut, the former Wimbledon champion handing the American debutante a 6-3, 6-1 defeat behind pinpoint serving that saw her lose only four first-serve points throughout the contest.
Rybakina saved the only break point she faded and won 34 of 45 points on serve as she opened her bid to advance past the round robin stage at the WTA Finals for the first time.
The victory marked Rybakina’s seventh Top 10 win of the season.
The Kazakhstani made a late surge to qualify for Riyadh, and has now won nine of her last ten matches.
She is now just a tick behind Iga Swiatek in the standings on the strength of games won and lost, as the Pole won over Madison Keys and dropped only three games doing so.
