Elena Rybakina secured the year-end No. 1 singles ranking on Thursday with a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory over Yulia Putintseva in the second round of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
The triumph guarantees that the 27-year-old will finish the season at the pinnacle of women’s tennis, capping a stellar year that featured Grand Slam titles at both the Australian Open and the U.S. Open. Rybakina, who captured her maiden major crown at Wimbledon in 2022, now sits just a French Open title short of completing a career Grand Slam.
Reflecting on her ascent to the top spot, which she first claimed after her triumph at Flushing Meadows, Rybakina called the milestone an incredibly special moment. She also noted tournament victories in Stuttgart and Ningbo earlier in the campaign.
“I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved this season and the consistency I’ve shown throughout the year,” Rybakina said. She is scheduled to receive a commemorative trophy during a special presentation at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, which run from November 8 to 15.
While the top seed advanced smoothly to the quarterfinals, the tournament delivered a major shock for the local crowd as Naomi Osaka was eliminated in straight sets. Osaka, a former world No. 1 and four-time major champion, fell 6-3, 7-5 to Slovakian teenager Mia Pohankova.
Pohankova, who entered the draw as a wild card, celebrated her 18th birthday just a week prior and holds the 2025 Wimbledon junior singles title. The teenager advances to face Alycia Parks in the next round. Osaka entered the match following an encouraging opening-round victory over Jasmine Paolini.
Elsewhere in the second round, Leylah Fernandez booked her place in the next stage by overcoming 14th-seeded Elise Mertens 6-2, 7-6 (8). The tournament field had already experienced high-profile withdrawals prior to the later stages, with second-seeded Maja Chwalinska pulling out due to a left thigh injury and Belinda Bencic withdrawing because of an injury to her right ankle.
