"Such a sh*tty excuse";"So unprofessional" - Fans slam Elena Rybakina for withdrawing from Tokyo SF hours after qualifying for WTA Finals

Fans were unhappy after Elena Rybakina decided to give herself a rest after advancing into the semifinals of the Tokyo Open and thereby securing a spot in the upcoming WTA Finals, scheduled to take place from Nov. 1 to 8, 2025. She was supposed to play Linda Nosková in the semifinal.

Rybakina shared her disappointment at having to exit as she pointed to her worrisome back as the reason behind her withdrawal. She said:

"I'm very sorry, I can't play today. I have been having problems with my back and can't play 100%. I am disappointed that my fans will not see me today but I hope to see you next year."

Coming into this tournament, Rybakina needed to at least make it to the semifinal to confirm herself a spot in the WTA Finals. Therefore, fans found her withdrawal convenient and selfish.

"Omg such a s**tty excuse. Right after qualifying to the Finals," one fan wrote. "She didn't have to qualify for the wta finals as well. She could have chosen to be an alternate. Now the tournament loses a lot money in both ticket and broadcasting," another fan said sarcastically. "Sorry this is so bs and unprofessional... play the gd tournament," another fan added. "She didn't have to make a excuse.just say I want to save more energy for the finals," one fan reacted. "All of a sudden she came down with a bout of 'AlreadyQualified'" one fan added. "Girl said I qualified I’m done lol reasonable," one fan joked.

Elena Rybakina to compete against seven top ranked players in Riyadh for WTA Finals

The WTA Finals event is a marquee event on the tennis calendar, and it features the best eight players, according to the rankings. With Elena Rybakina clinching the final qualification by reaching the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, the eight-player field is set and locked.

The following players will battle it out in the WTA Finals at Riyadh:

1. Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
2. Iga Świątek (Poland)
3. Coco Gauff (USA)
4. Amanda Anisimova (USA)
5. Madison Keys (USA)
6. Jessica Pegula (USA)
7. Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
8. Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)

Last year, Coco Gauff defeated Zheng Qinwen in the final, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(7-2) to win the singles tennis title. Elena Rybakina will hope to come out on top in this year's Round Robin format.

Edited by Krutik Jain