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Kazakhstani tennis player Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday after suffering a neck injury, just one day after securing the year-end world number one ranking.
The 27-year-old Kazakh came onto the court to address the crowd and sign autographs instead of playing her scheduled quarter-final match against Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.
Rybakina apologised to the fans and explained that she had been struggling with the injury for a couple of days.
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She said she couldn’t compete at full strength, especially with the WTA Finals in Indian Wells next month, where she plans to return.
Expressing her appreciation for the support in Tokyo, she thanked the crowd and promised to return next year.
The tournament exit follows a landmark week for Rybakina, who clinched the year-end top ranking after defeating Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-3 in her opening Tokyo match.
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She first reached the world number one spot last month after winning the US Open, replacing Aryna Sabalenka at the top.
The US Open victory capped a dominant season for Rybakina, who also won the Australian Open in January to bring her career total to three Grand Slam titles.
She arrived in Tokyo fresh off winning her fourth title of the season at the Ningbo Open in China, where she also defeated Fernandez in the final.
