Elena Rybakina, the world’s No. 1 player and top-seed in the Pan Pacific Open, withdrew from her quarterfinal match, handing the win to Leylah Fernandez of Canada

TOKYO -- TOKYO (AP) — Elena Rybakina, the world's No. 1-ranked player and top seed in the Pan Pacific Open, withdrew from her quarterfinal match on Friday, handing the win to Leylah Fernandez of Canada.

Rybakina said she could not play because of an undisclosed injury. She stood on the tennis court in Tokyo and delivered the news to fans and ended by saying “I hope to see you all next year.”

She said she had been struggling for several day “with a little injury” and needs to be ready for next month's WTA finals in Indian Wells, California.

Rybakina guaranteed herself being ranked No. 1 at the end of the year with Thursday's victory over Yulia Putintseva.

In other quarterfinals on Friday at the Tokyo tournament, Kamilla Rakhimova defeated Maya Joint 7-5, 5-7. 6-1, and Mia Pohankova beat Alycia Parks 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Pohankova of Slovakia just turned 18 last week and was a wild-card entry in the tournament.

In a late quarterfinal, No. 3-seeded Diana Shnaider faced No. 8 Alex Eala.

In the semifinals, Rakhimova faces Fernandez and Pohankova goes against either Eala or Shnaider.