Elena Rybakina has played 70 matches (51-19) in 2025; however the next two could be the most critical of her season.
The Ningbo Open champion controls her destiny in her path to qualify for the 2025 WTA Finals. If she wins two matches at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, she is in. Should Rybakina lose, Mirra Andreeva grabs the final singles spot at the WTA Finals.
Rybakina does not have smooth sailing in the draw. First up is Japan Women’s Open champion Leylah Fernandez who is having a great season and possesses a 2-1 favorable head-to-head record over Rybakina. She is 30-23 this year, and winner of the 2025 Mubadala Citi Open and last week’s Japan Women’s Open. Fernandez defeated Rybakina en route to the Washington, DC title as well as their meeting prior to that at the 2024 Cincinnati Open.
Fernandez and Rybakina have played eight sets, and four were settled by tiebreaker with Fernandez winning three of the four tiebreakers.
If their match goes to tiebreakers, there is no doubt that both players will be recalling their previous results against the other.
Elena Rybakina will have to go on a revenge tour in Tokyo if she wants to reach the SFs and qualify for Riyadh.
Faces Fernandez in R2 who beat her in the D.C. SF, followed by Lys (Beijing 3R) or Mboko (Montreal SF) in the quarters. pic.twitter.com/Pz0uTCvchS
— Christian’s Court (@christianscourt) October 21, 2025
Race To The WTA Finals Is Down To The Wire
Rybakina and Andreeva are competing for the last spot in the eight woman singles draw. Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, and Jasmine Paolini have already claimed their spots. All are training and resting until the tournament begins on November 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It will be the first appearance at the WTA Finals for Anisimova.
Paolini and Andreeva have qualified for doubles with their partners Sara Errani and Diana Shnaider respectively. Andreeva is making her WTA Finals debut in doubles and is vying to compete in both disciplines as Paolini did last year.
Elena Rybakina’s match against Leylah Fernandez will air live on the Tennis Channel at 10:40 PM eastern time.
