Elena Rybakina took down Yulia Putintseva in the Pan Pacific Open last 16 and clinched the year-end women's singles number one ranking.
Elena Rybakina has finished the job. Her win over Yulia Putintseva in the last 16 of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo secures the year-end number one spot in women's singles.
The match was an all-Kazakhstan affair, with two compatriots meeting on one of the WTA's biggest stages. Rybakina handled the occasion and moved into the quarterfinals with the season's top ranking secured.
Finishing the year at the top is the reward for sustained excellence across a long, grinding calendar. It takes more than a few big weeks. It takes consistency on every surface and in every kind of conditions, and Rybakina has delivered that.
With the ranking settled, the Tokyo draw gets more interesting. Rybakina can now play freely while the rest of the field chases her, and she remains a threat to win the title.
