World No 1 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 the world’s top-ranked player for the first time last month in winning the US Open, replacing Aryna Sabalenka at the summit, needing only one ‌more victory this year to ensure the world No 2 Belarusian could not overtake her.

She ensured she would start 2027 on top after a comfortable opening match in Tokyo, swatting aside world No 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 after also winning ‌Wimbledon four years ago.

“It means a lot; this is something we worked for with the team,” the 27-year-old said.

“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 No 1 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, where the season’s top eight players will compete from November 8 to 15.

Rybakina received a bye into the last 16 of the WTA 500 event in Tokyo and arrived at the Ariake Coliseum after capturing her fourth title of the season and first as the top-ranked player at last ⁠week’s Ningbo Open in China

She sent down six aces against Putintseva and saved the only break point she faced.

“Today the serve definitely helped me in the important moments,” she said.

“I was just trying to pick my spot and I think today with a closed roof and a combination of the balls and the court made me feel better serving.

“I’m glad today it worked.”

Rybakina’s opponent in the quarter-finals will be Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, whom she beat in the Ningbo final. The Canadian beat Belgium’s Elise ⁠Mertens 6-2, 7-6 in their round-of-16 match.

Rybakina, who is targeting a 16th career title, said she had not had time to explore Tokyo but planned to indulge a new hobby when she gets a chance.

“Because of my coach, I am a little bit following Pokemon cards now,” she said.

“I’m not a huge fan but he is, so I know a little bit, and we were getting some cards, opening them and trying to find some important ones.”

Earlier, four-time major winner Naomi Osaka lost in front of her home crowd to Slovakian teenager Mia Pohankova.

Pohankova, who turned 18 a week ago and was a wild-card entry, upset seventh-seeded Osaka 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the quarter-finals.

“I am really proud ‌of myself,” Pohankova said. “It is the first time I have played against ‌such a hard player and I feel ⁠really, ⁠really good.”

The defeat capped a ⁠mixed season for Osaka, ⁠who has struggled for consistency and last week said she had contemplated retirement ‌and often wondered ‌how long she would continue playing

Pohankova, the 2025 junior singles champion at Wimbledon, will next face Alycia Parks of the US.