TOKYO, JAPAN: Kazakhstan’s tennis star Elena Rybakina has officially secured the final spot in the upcoming WTA Finals in Riyadh after storming into the semi-finals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Her straight-sets victory over Victoria Mboko (6-3, 7-6 (4)) sealed her qualification for the elite season-ending tournament.
This marks the third consecutive year that the former Wimbledon champion has earned her place among the world’s top eight players — a testament to her growing consistency and dominance on the women’s circuit. Rybakina’s stellar form has been on full display recently; just last week, she lifted the Ningbo Open trophy after defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova in a hard-fought three-set final.
With this result, Rybakina will also reclaim her position in the top six of the WTA rankings when the new standings are released. Joining her in Riyadh will be Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini, and Amanda Anisimova — completing a star-studded lineup for the November 1-8 event.
Rybakina’s back-to-back deep runs in Asian tournaments have sent a clear message to her rivals: the Kazakh powerhouse is peaking at just the right time and is ready to challenge for the year-end crown.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.