TOKYO – Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open on Saturday after her quarterfinal win clinched the final spot in the WTA finals. She dropped out a day later due to back problems.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion will face Linda Noskova in the semi-finals of the Tokyo tournament.
“I am sorry that I cannot play today,” Rybakina said in a statement. “I’ve been having issues with my back this week and haven’t been able to perform 100 percent.”
Noskova will play Sunday’s final against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, who beat Sofia Kenin 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-2 in the other semifinal.
Bencic reached the 10th final of her career, 10 years after her last appearance in the Pan Pacific Open final, when she lost to Agnieszka Radwanska in 2015. Four years ago, Bencic also won a gold medal in singles and a silver medal in doubles at the Tokyo Olympics.
Rybakina beat Victoria Mboko 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Friday to finish eighth and head to next month’s lucrative WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia.
Rybakina will compete with No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, and Jessica Pegula at the WTA Finals scheduled to be held from November 1 to 8. With Jasmine Paolini.
Gauff is the defending champion in Riyadh. The American player defeated Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in last year’s final and won $4.8 million in prize money.
