How Elena Rybakina Became the Face of the Ningbo Open
On October 19, Elena Rybakina, who is competing at the 2026 Ningbo Open, stepped into the Yuebo Library by Dongqian Lake in Ningbo wearing a custom-made Song dynasty outfit. Under the guidance of artist Shi Xiaoyu, she painted an oil-paper umbrella with a jade-green bamboo base and experienced Song dynasty tea whisking and "Only This Green" tea drinks.
The Yuebo Library stands by the water, and its history dates back to the fifth year of the Chunxi era of the Southern Song dynasty—when Chancellor Shi Hao first built Yuebo Temple and Yuebo Tower. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty and is known to later generations as the "Yu Xiang Library."
Above: Elena Rybakina
It is worth mentioning that Rybakina's sister also came to Ningbo with her this time. She said her sister loves China very much, and the two sisters also plan to find time to explore the city together.
When asked whether she would compete at next year's Ningbo Open, she answered without hesitation: "I think I will. I love this city; there are so many beautiful places worth seeing. It's a very well-organized tournament, and I really do like it here."
This is not the first time Rybakina has experienced Ningbo's urban culture.
During the 2025 Ningbo Open, Rybakina visited Zoumatang Village in Yinzhou, where she tried ice-flower tie-dyeing at the "Helan Dye Workshop" and toured the Feng Gua Nichang Art Museum. At the time, she said the historical atmosphere there helped her relax completely from competition, "giving my soul a true rest."
Rybakina subsequently won the 2025 Ningbo title, the 10th tour-level singles title of her career, and it became the starting point for her run to the WTA Finals, which she went on to reach and win.
In 2026, she returned to Ningbo as the women's singles world No. 1 and defending champion. Speaking to the media after the Dongqian Lake event, she admitted that Ningbo is a special place for her: "After I came here last year, my tennis kept getting better. You could say my best stretch began in Ningbo. That experience included many tough matches and is a very crazy yet beautiful memory. I hope I can play well this year too and prepare as I did when I reached the final last year."
Above: Elena Rybakina attends the Ningbo Open opening ceremony in a custom-made hanfu
The 2026 Ningbo Open is a WTA 500 event held from October 19 to 25, with a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, a total prize purse of about US$1,206,446, an increase of about 13.3% from the previous year; the champion receives 500 points and US$185,500.
Beyond Rybakina, more players have come to know the city of Ningbo through the Ningbo Open.
On the afternoon of October 18, 2024 tournament singles champion Daria Kasatkina visited the Qing'an Guild Hall, where she watched Yue opera and tried making dingsheng cakes. Built in the 30th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty, the Qing'an Guild Hall is a "Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level." Kasatkina said: "It's so beautiful here, so authentic. This is exactly what comes to mind when people talk about China—super authentic." She shared excitedly, "The ancient architecture is just like the China in my imagination. Everything is novel and full of surprises."
Above: Daria Kasatkina
Chinese player Xu Yifan visited Shanlinxi in Yinzhou District, Ningbo, where she toured the Spirit Hall, strolled through the creekside neighborhood, sampled traditional Chinese herbal tea drinks, and personally tried her hand at foil painting, experiencing Ningbo's mountain-and-countryside arts and traditional crafts up close. Player Marta Kostyuk visited the Ningbo City Exhibition Hall, watched the atrium water-screen show, and experienced the "Fly Over Ningbo" 6D panoramic attraction.
It is clear that the Ningbo Open is incorporating players' itineraries after arriving in the city into the tournament's urban experience and promotional content, running cultural experiences alongside professional competition.
For two consecutive years, Ningbo has linked the tournament and the urban experience through its players, creating synergy among star players, urban culture, and the tournament brand. This enriches the tournament content, enhances the city's influence, makes the Ningbo stop's unique urban cultural character more distinct, and brings Ningbo's urban culture to a broader international audience.
| Source: WTA, Ningbo Open official WeChat, CNR, China News Service, China Ningbo Net
| Image source: Ningbo Open official WeChat