Rybakina secures year-end number one ranking before withdrawing
Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 30 Oct, 08:34 · Archive
Elena Rybakina has secured the year-end women's singles number one ranking after winning the Australian Open and US Open in 2026. The 27-year-old Kazakh player clinched the ranking with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Yulia Putintseva in the last 16 of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, with no possibility of being overtaken in the closing weeks of the year.
Rybakina said the achievement meant a lot and represented something she and her team worked towards. "So many great players and we are all really close to each other, and I'm happy that now with last week and with today's win I made it possible to secure number one at the end of the year," she said. She has also won titles in Stuttgart and Ningbo this year.
After advancing to the quarter-finals, Rybakina withdrew injured before her match against Leylah Fernandez. "I've been struggling for a couple of days with a little injury," she said on-court. "It's difficult for me to come and play at 100 per cent since there is also a very important tournament coming up." Rybakina will defend her singles title at the season-ending WTA Finals from 8-15 November in Indian Wells.
How it is being reported
- Joint's promising run in Japan ends with QF exitAustralia's Maya Joint lost in the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 event in Tokyo, where top seed and world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew because of injury.ABC News Australia · 30 Oct, 08:36
- Rybakina withdraws from Pan Pacific Open with injuryWorld No 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn injured against Leylah Fernandez in the Pan Pacific Open to exit the tournament at the quarter-final stage.Sky Sports · 30 Oct, 07:10
- Rybakina secures year-end number one rankingElena Rybakina secures the year-end women's singles number one spot by beating Yulia Putintseva in the last 16 of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.BBC News · 29 Oct, 10:38
In this story: Elena Rybakina · Yulia Putintseva · Leylah Fernandez · Zheng Qinwen · Kazakhstan · Pan Pacific Open · WTA Finals
This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log
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