TENNIS: World No. 1 Elena Rybakina withdraws from Japan Open due to neck injury

World number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open quarter-finals on Friday due to a neck injury, sending Canada's Leylah Fernandez through to the last four via walkover.

Karan Prashant Saxena / Reuters

October 30, 2026

TENNIS: World No. 1 Elena Rybakina withdraws from Japan Open due to neck injury

Tennis: WTA 500, Pan Pacific Open, Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan, October 30, 2026. Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina gives a speech after retiring from her quarter final match against Canada's Leylah Fernandez and giving a walkover due to injury

Yasuyoshi Chiba / Reuters

World number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open quarter-finals on Friday due to a neck injury, sending Canada's Leylah Fernandez through to the last four via walkover.

"Unfortunately, I’ve been experiencing inflammation and pain in my neck, which has been affecting my ability to play at my best," the Kazakh said in a statement on the WTA website.

Rybakina secured the year-end number one ranking after beating compatriot Yulia Putintseva in the second round.

Fernandez will face Russia's Kamilla Rakhimova for a place in the final.

Rybakina is expected to compete at next month's season-ending WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California.

- Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters