Rybakina withdraws from Pan Pacific Open for second year in a row

Елена Рыбакина, обеспечив себе первое место в рейтинге по итогам года, снялась с турнира в Японии — Elena Rybakina, having secured the year-end No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings, has withdrawn from the tournament in Japan / Photo: Toray-ppo.com

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the WTA 500 Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. In today’s quarterfinal, she was set to face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez. At last year’s tournament, Rybakina withdrew from her semifinal against Czechia’s Linda Nosková.

The withdrawal is likely due to an injury Rybakina sustained at the 2026 Cincinnati Open. The injury’s effects are apparently still bothering her.

After defeating her compatriot Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 6-2 yesterday and securing the year-end No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings, Rybakina decided to focus on her recovery. This is especially important ahead of the WTA Finals, scheduled for Indian Wells, California, from Nov. 8 to 15.

At the 2025 Pan Pacific Open, Rybakina withdrew from her semifinal after securing a place at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, which she went on to win. Interestingly, Rybakina, who was seeded at the 2023 tournament, withdrew from the Tokyo event that year as well. However, she did so before the tournament began.

Fernandez (World No. 23) advanced to the semifinals via walkover and will face Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova (World No. 66).