World number one Elena Rybakina has secured the year-end top ranking after beating fellow Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-3 in Japan on Thursday. She hailed her “amazing achievement” after the win at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Rybakina became world number one for the first time last month by winning the US Open, replacing Aryna Sabalenka at the top. She will start 2027 in the top spot after beating world number 67 Putintseva in 70 minutes.
Rybakina reflects on a season of major success
The year also included a January Australian Open title, giving Rybakina three Grand Slam titles. Speaking after the match, the 27-year-old said: “It means a lot, this is something we worked for with the team.”
She said she was happy that her results last week and her win on Thursday had made it possible to secure the top ranking at the end of the year. Rybakina, who was born in Moscow, has already qualified for next month’s season-ending WTA Finals at Indian Wells.
Serve helps Rybakina win in straight sets
Rybakina fired six aces against Putintseva and saved the only break point she faced. “Today the serve definitely helped me in the important moments,” she said.
She said she had been picking her spots carefully, and that a closed roof along with the balls and court made her feel better serving. Her quarter-final opponent will be Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, whom she beat in the final of the Ningbo Open in China last week.
Pokemon cards emerge as a new hobby
Rybakina said she had not had time to explore Tokyo but planned to take up a new hobby when she could. She said her coach had got her interested in Pokemon cards. “Because of my coach I am a little bit following Pokemon cards now,” she said.
