Pan Pacific Open: Elena Rybakina defeats Victoria Mboko to claim final WTA Finals spot

Elena Rybakina beat Victoria Mboko to reach the semi-finals of the Pan Pacific Open to seal the final spot at next month’s WTA Finals.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion, who has won two WTA 500 titles this year, beat 19-year-old Mboko 6-3 7-6 (7-4) to seal her place in the end-of-season event.

The WTA Finals will kick off in Saudi Arabia on November 1, and will feature the top eight singles and doubles players of the year.

Kazakhstan’s Rybakina needs to reach at least the semifinals in Tokyo to overtake Russia’s 18-year-old Mira Andreeva for the eighth and final spot.

Her victory over Mboko means she will travel to Riyadh along with Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini.