Elena Rybakina Advances in Quest for WTA Finals Spot

Tokyo, Japan – Elena Rybakina is one step closer to securing a spot at the 2025 WTA Finals after defeating Leylah Fernandez in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Thursday. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, won the match 6-4, 6-3 and is now just one victory away from qualifying for the year-end championships for the third consecutive year.

The match lasted one hour and 28 minutes at the WTA 500 tournament. Rybakina, currently ranked seventh in the world, dominated the match, never trailing on the scoreboard and breaking serve only once. Her victory marked her 50th match win of the season, making her the fourth player this year to reach that milestone.

“Today was a very difficult match – it’s always not easy against Leylah, especially the first match for me here,” Rybakina said after the match. “I’m pretty happy with the win and looking forward to my next match.” She added that the weather had affected her preparation, giving her a challenging start to the tournament.

Standing in Rybakina’s way for the WTA Finals spot is fellow Canadian Victoria Mboko. Earlier this year, Mboko defeated Rybakina in the semifinals of the Canadian Open, a match where Rybakina was a favorite. This adds a layer of pressure for Rybakina, who is focused on qualifying ahead of strong competition.

Rybakina expressed that while she was feeling a bit tired, her recent success has motivated her to push forward. “I just wanted to say thank you so much for coming and supporting today,” she said to the Tokyo crowd before leaving the court to recover.

With the top seats now secured for the WTA Finals, Rybakina will need to maintain her momentum if she hopes to join other top players, including Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, who have already qualified.