Reasons for the Retirements

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• - Paula Badosa withdrew due to dizziness, following her previous withdrawal from the WTA 1000 in Wuhan due to illness.
• - Karolina Muchova, who missed the first half of 2024 after wrist surgery, retired from her match with a back injury. Muchova had been on a strong run this year, reaching the Roland Garros final and the WTA 1000 China Open final.

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A Tournament Marked by Withdrawals

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The Ningbo Open has been hit hard by withdrawals, with a notable seven lucky losers entering the field. Among the top players who pulled out before or during the tournament were:

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• 1. Jasmine Paolini
• 2. Zheng Qinwen
• 3. Emma Navarro
• 4. Barbora Krejcikova, who retired from her quarterfinal against Andreeva with a back injury.

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Players’ Recent Performances

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Kasatkina has shown a strong track record at the WTA 500 level, with five of her seven career singles titles coming at this tier. However, she has struggled in recent finals, losing six out of seven, with her only win on grass at Eastbourne in June.

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Andreeva, on the other hand, claimed her first WTA-level title at the WTA 250 in Iasi, Romania, earlier this year. Both players will now compete for their second title of 2024 in Sunday’s final, marking their first-ever head-to-head meeting.

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Key Points:

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• - Kasatkina defeated Paula Badosa, leading 6-4 before Badosa retired.
• - Andreeva was leading Karolina Muchova 6-2, 1-0 when Muchova withdrew.
• - The tournament has been riddled with retirements, affecting many top players.

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Both Andreeva and Kasatkina are poised to battle for the Ningbo Open title after an unusual set of semifinals.

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