Ekaterina Alexandrova beat Diana Schnaider 6-3 6-4 in 1 hour and 32 minutes to reach the final at the WTA 500 in Ningbo. Alexandrova will face Elena Rybakina in the final.
Schnaider earned 10 break points, including eight in the first set.
Alexandrova leads 3-1 in her four head-to-head matches against Rybakina and won their most recent match in straight sets.
Rybakina would move to within 15 points of Mirra Andreeva for the eighth and final spot in the WTA Race to Ryadh and just 20 points behing Paolini.
Alexandrova saved three break points in the first game before breaking serve at 15 in the second game. The Russian player held serve at love in the third game to open up a 3-0 lead. Alexandrova went up a double break in the sixth game to take a 5-1 lead. Schnaider pulled one of the two breaks back in the sixth game. Alexandrova closed out on her second set point after saving two break points in the ninth game,
Alexandrova went up a set and a break at 30 in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Schnaider broke straight back in the fourth game to 2-2. Alexandrova earned her second break at 15 in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Schnaider saved two match points as she was serving to stay in the match in the ninth game and three more chances, as Alexandrova tried to close the match. Alexandrova served out on her sixth match point with a forehand winner.
