Elena Rybakina secured her position as the year-end No. 1 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings following a straight-sets victory over Yulia Putintseva in the round of 16 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Thursday. The 27-year-old Kazakhstani, who was born in Russia, won the match 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals, a result that confirmed she will finish the season atop the global standings.

Rybakina’s strong 2023 campaign included two Grand Slam titles, with victories at the Australian Open and the U.S. Open. Her Grand Slam tally also includes the 2022 Wimbledon championship, bringing her within reach of completing a career Grand Slam with a French Open title. Reflecting on her achievements, Rybakina described finishing the year as No. 1 as “an incredibly special moment” and expressed pride in her season’s consistency.

In addition to her Grand Slam successes, Rybakina captured titles at the Stuttgart Open and the Ningbo tournament during the year. She first ascended to the top of the WTA rankings after her U.S. Open victory, where she defeated then-world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the final. Sabalenka, herself a two-time Australian Open champion and the reigning U.S. Open winner prior to this year, was a significant competitor in Rybakina’s rise.

Rybakina is scheduled to receive a trophy recognizing her year-end No. 1 ranking at the upcoming WTA Finals, set to take place in Indian Wells from November 8 to 15.