(Photo credit score: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
On the power of six straight wins, Elena Rybakina jumped previous Mirra Andreeva to earn the final qualifying spot for the season-ending WTA Tour Finals.
Andreeva, who had been within the eighth and remaining place within the standings, opted in opposition to enjoying in both of this week’s tournaments after dropping to world No. 219 Zhu Lin ultimately week’s Ningbo Open in China. That continued a irritating latest streak for the 18-year-old Russian.
Rybakina jumped by way of that open door with wins over Canadians Leylah Fernandez and Victoria Mboko to achieve the semifinals within the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo and safe her spot within the WTA Finals Riyadh.
The 26-year-old entered the Tokyo event on the heels of successful the Ningbo title.
Rybakina, whose final grand slam win was the 2022 Wimbledon title, joins Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini within the elite subject for Riyadh.
Andreeva now’s the primary alternate, whereas fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova is the second alternate.
‘The world-class singles subject for the WTA Finals is now set, and I am unable to wait to welcome this inspiring group of athletes to Riyadh,’ WTA Finals Tournament Director Garbine Muguruza mentioned. ‘This season, we have now seen eight completely different champions throughout WTA 1000 tournaments and the Grand Slams displaying the unimaginable depth and drama of the WTA Tour, with the right curtain-call now able to happen on the WTA Finals.’
Rybakina will likely be competing on the WTA Finals for the third straight 12 months. Her first look, in 2023, made historical past when she turned Kazakhstan’s first singles qualifier within the occasion.
The 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh takes place Nov. 1-8, that includes the highest eight singles gamers and doubles groups in response to the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard.
–Field Level Media