World No. 1 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan withdrew from the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday due to a neck injury.
The No. 1 seed’s departure gave Canada’s Leylah Fernandez a walkover into the semifinals of the WTA 500 tournament.
“Dear fans, I’m very sorry to announce that I’ve had to withdraw from my next match,” Rybakina said in the statement. “Unfortunately, I’ve been experiencing inflammation and pain in my neck, which has been affecting my ability to play at my best. It’s a very difficult decision, as I love playing here and always appreciate the incredible support from the fans. I hope to be back again next year. Thank you all for your understanding and support.”
Rybakina, 27, collected her second and third career Grand Slam singles titles this year at the Australian Open and U.S. Open. She won Wimbledon in 2022.
Earlier this week, Rybakina secured the WTA year-end No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career. She is the defending champion at the year-end WTA Finals, which will be held at Indian Wells from Nov. 8-15.
–Field Level Media
