(Photo credit score: Aaron Doster)
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan withdrew from the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday because of a neck damage.
The No. 1 seed’s departure gave Canada’s Leylah Fernandez a walkover into the semifinals of the WTA 500 match.
‘Dear followers, I’m very sorry to announce that I’ve needed to withdraw from my subsequent match,’ Rybakina stated within the assertion. ‘Unfortunately, I’ve been experiencing irritation and ache in my neck, which has been affecting my skill to play at my greatest. It’s a really troublesome choice, as I really like enjoying right here and all the time respect the unbelievable help from the followers. I hope to be again once more subsequent yr. Thank you all in your understanding and help.’
Rybakina, 27, collected her second and third profession Grand Slam singles titles this yr on the Australian Open and U.S. Open. She gained Wimbledon in 2022.
Earlier this week, Rybakina secured the WTA year-end No. 1 rating for the primary time in her profession. She is the defending champion on the year-end WTA Finals, which might be held at Indian Wells from Nov. 8-15.
–Field Level Media