Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from her semi-final match in Tokyo after booking her place at the WTA Finals.

Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from her semi-final match in Tokyo after booking her place at the WTA Finals.

 

 

Elena Rybakina’s week in Tokyo has been one of both triumph and frustration. The Kazakhstani star sealed her place at the prestigious WTA Finals with a quarter-final victory at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, only to withdraw from her semi-final match the following day due to a back injury.

Rybakina, ranked No. 5 in the world, defeated Canada’s Victoria Mboko 6–3, 7–6(4) in the quarter-finals on Friday, a win that confirmed her qualification for the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh. The victory secured the final available berth in the eight-player field, marking her third consecutive appearance at the elite event.

Her consistent performances throughout the 2025 season—including deep runs at multiple WTA 1000 events and a strong showing at Wimbledon—had put her on the cusp of qualification heading into Tokyo. The hard-fought win over Mboko ensured that she would join Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini, Madison Keys, and Amanda Anisimova in Saudi Arabia next month.

“It’s great to qualify again and to be part of the Finals,” Rybakina said after her quarter-final triumph. “It’s been a long season with ups and downs, but I’m happy with the way I’ve been competing. Every match now is about building confidence before the year-end event.”

However, her joy was short-lived. Hours before her scheduled semi-final clash with Czech rising star Linda Noskova, the tournament announced Rybakina’s withdrawal due to a back injury. In a brief statement, she explained, “I’ve been having some issues with my back this week and unfortunately can’t compete at 100 percent. It’s disappointing, but I need to take care of my health and be ready for what’s next.”

The withdrawal handed Noskova a walkover into the Tokyo final, where she will face Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic. For tournament organizers and fans, the announcement came as a disappointment, as Rybakina had been one of the event’s biggest draws and a strong favorite to lift the title.

The timing of the withdrawal—coming just one day after she secured her place at the WTA Finals—sparked mixed reactions among fans. Some questioned whether Rybakina was conserving her energy for Riyadh, while others sympathized with her decision to prioritize recovery over risk. Given her history of injury setbacks and the intensity of the season’s final stretch, her choice appears to be a precautionary measure rather than a lack of commitment.

This development underscores a recurring challenge for elite players at this stage of the season: managing fitness and form while balancing short-term ambitions with long-term goals. With the WTA Finals representing one of the sport’s most demanding and lucrative tournaments, Rybakina’s focus will now shift to ensuring full fitness ahead of the event.

Her withdrawal also highlights the physical toll of modern tennis, particularly for players like Rybakina who rely heavily on power and precision. The Tokyo setback may prove to be a blessing in disguise if it allows her to recover in time to contend strongly in Riyadh.

For now, Rybakina leaves Tokyo with both a sense of achievement and unfinished business — qualified for the WTA Finals, but denied the chance to chase another title.