Ningbo Open 2025 Semifinals Schedule and Preview
NINGBO, CHINA – The 2025 AUX Ningbo Open, a prestigious WTA 500 tournament held on the fast, Plexipave hard courts, is down to its final four, with the singles and doubles semifinals scheduled for a thrilling “Super Saturday” on October 18, 2025. With a total prize fund of $1,064,510, the stakes are immensely high as the players compete not just for the coveted title, but also for crucial ranking points at one of the final WTA 500 events of the year. The day’s action on Center Court is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM local time.
The Grand Singles Showdown: Rybakina vs. Paolini
The marquee singles semifinal, scheduled for not before 3:00 PM, pits the third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan against the second seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy. This encounter is arguably the most significant of the day, with major implications for the Race to the WTA Finals. A victory for the tenacious Paolini would be enough to secure her qualification for the year-end championships.
The head-to-head record between the two champions is incredibly tight, with Paolini currently holding a slight 3-2 advantage. Their previous meetings highlight a compelling contrast in styles: Rybakina, the towering 1.84-meter power-server, whose deliveries are among the fastest on the tour, will look to dictate play with her immense first-strike ability. Conversely, the compact 1.63-meter Paolini relies on her exceptional movement, court craft, and deep competitive fire, attributes she relied on in a recent grueling, over three-hour quarterfinal victory.
Their rivalry has seen compelling battles on different surfaces, including a three-set affair on the indoor hard courts of Stuttgart in 2024 and Paolini’s impressive win on the clay of the French Open. While Rybakina has had a smoother route to the semifinals in Ningbo, Paolini’s fighting spirit and current form, which includes multiple wins over Top 10 players this season, suggest that the Kazakh must be at her absolute best to overcome the Italian challenge and keep the battle for the title alive. The winner of this match will not only earn $101,000 as a finalist but will move one step closer to the champion’s cheque of $164,000.
All-Russian Intensity: Shnaider Battles Alexandrova
The second singles semifinal, not before 5:30 PM, is a clash of countrymen, pitting the seventh seed Diana Shnaider against the fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. This encounter also promises sparks, with their head-to-head record standing evenly at 1-1. This season, the young Shnaider (21) earned a pivotal victory over the veteran Alexandrova (30) in a hard-court final, though Alexandrova secured a dominant win on the green clay of Charleston earlier in the year.
Both players favour an aggressive style of tennis, striking the ball cleanly and seeking early winners. However, subtle differences in their game could determine the outcome. Alexandrova is a relentless ball-striker with a powerful serve and flat groundstrokes. Shnaider, the younger of the two, generally exhibits better footwork and defensive prowess, which will be crucial on the fast Ningbo surface. Given the tightly contested rivalry, which often involves significant momentum swings, the mental fortitude of each player under pressure will be the key to reaching the final.
Doubles Royalty on Center Court
The doubles event also enters its critical semifinal stage, with two high-caliber matchups scheduled around the singles drama. The day kicks off at 1:00 PM with the top-seeded tandem of Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) and Katerina Siniakova (CZE) facing the unseeded duo of Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) and Liudmila Samsonova.
Hsieh and Siniakova represent doubles royalty; between them, they possess a staggering number of WTA titles. Siniakova is a current World No. 1 and a ten-time major doubles champion, while Hsieh is a former World No. 1 and multiple Grand Slam winner, making them formidable favourites. Their chemistry was evident in their convincing straight-sets victory in the Round of 16. Their opponents, Melichar-Martinez and Samsonova, have proven themselves to be a highly effective, though unseeded, partnership, and will look to leverage Samsonova’s singles power from the baseline against the seasoned volleys of the top seeds.
The concluding match of the day will feature the fourth-seeded pair of Timea Babos (HUN) and Luisa Stefani (BRA) against the successful run of Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) and Qianhui Tang (CHN). Babos and Stefani are a potent combination, with both players having achieved high rankings and success on the doubles tour. They will need to bring their best tactical game to overcome Eikeri and Tang, who secured their semifinal spot with a hard-fought tiebreak win in the final set of their quarterfinal match. The winners of the doubles semifinals will advance to compete for the Doubles Championship prize of $54,300.
Tournament Details and Officials
The 2025 AUX Ningbo Open, designated as a WTA 500-level event, takes place in Ningbo, China, and is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, October 19. The day-long program of events is managed by Tournament Director Laura Ceccarelli and Leon Shen. All matches on Center Court are supervised by Clare Wood, with Tony Cho serving as the Referee. The tournament management has noted that matches may be moved at the Supervisor’s discretion, a standard measure to ensure the smooth running of this high-stakes weekend of elite women’s professional tennis.
