Rybakina secures year-end top rank with Tokyo win

TOKYO — World number one Elena Rybakina hailed her "amazing achievement" after securing the year-end top ranking with a 6-2, 6-3 win over fellow Kazakh Yulia Putintseva in Japan on Thursday. Rybakina became world number one for the first time last month in winning the US Open, replacing Aryna Sabalenka at the summit. She ensured she will start 2027 on top after a comfortable opening match in Tokyo, swatting aside world number 67 Putintseva at the Pan Pacific Open in 70 minutes. The achievement capped a year in which Rybakina also won the Australian Open in January and now has three Grand Slam titles. "It means a lot, this is something we worked for with the team," said the 27-year-old. "So many great players and we are all really close to each other, and I'm happy that now with last week and with today's win I made it possible to secure number one at the end of the year. "It's an amazing achievement and hopefully we can continue this way next year," she added. Moscow-born Rybakina has already secured her place at next month's season-ending WTA Finals at Indian Wells. She arrived in Tokyo after winning her fourth title of the season last week at the Ningbo Open...