Rybakina Cruises Past Putintseva, Eyes Tokyo Quarterfinal

Tokyo: Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, the world No. 1, beat Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the third round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. The victory also guarantees her the year-end No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.

The match lasted 70 minutes. Rybakina held serve throughout and saved the only break point she faced, which came in the last game.

Rybakina won 75 percent of her first-serve points and 57 percent of her second-serve points. She hit six aces and finished the match with one.

This season marks the first time Rybakina will finish a year as world No. 1. She was ranked No. 3 at the end of 2023 and 2024, and No. 5 at the end of 2025. She rose to the top spot in 2026 after winning the US Open, her third Grand Slam title.

Rybakina now holds a 3-2 lead in head-to-head meetings with Putintseva. Putintseva won their first two matches, in Rome in 2020 and Indian Wells in 2021. Rybakina then won in Madrid in the 2024 quarterfinals, 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-5, and beat Putintseva again in Miami earlier this year.

Rybakina's next opponent is Leylah Fernandez in the quarterfinals. Rybakina beat Fernandez in last week's Ningbo Open final. Fernandez reached the quarterfinals after defeating eighth seed Elise Mertens 6-2, 7-6(8).