Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva’s Fierce Race to WTA Finals 2025 Ends in Tokyo – Two Contenders in a High-Stakes Battle for the Last Spot in Riyadh

With seven qualifiers confirmed, the final singles berth comes down to Tokyo results

Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Only one spot remains open in the 2025 WTA Finals, and it’s now a two-player race between Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva. Following Jasmine Paolini’s qualification over the weekend, she joined Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys as the seven confirmed players for the prestigious eight-woman event in Riyadh. The last ticket to the season-ending finale will be determined this week in Tokyo, with Rybakina holding the power to decide her own fate.

Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva are in a tight race for the No. 8 spot in the 2025 WTA Finals 🫢 https://t.co/QDTTrf0kuo
— TENNIS (@Tennis) October 20, 2025

Rybakina’s Tokyo Run Will Decide the Race

The battle between Rybakina and Andreeva has been one of razor-thin margins. Just a week ago, Rybakina trailed Andreeva by 406 points in the Race standings (4,319 to 3,913). After winning the WTA 500 title in Ningbo, she nearly erased that deficit, cutting it down to just 14 points (4,319 to 4,305). Andreeva, by contrast, suffered a first-round exit, missing the chance to consolidate her position.

Now, the equation is simple. Rybakina must reach the semifinals in Tokyo to overtake Andreeva and qualify for Riyadh. If she falls short before that stage, Andreeva, who is not competing this week, will clinch the final spot, as she wasn’t able to get a visa on time.

A 10th career title for Elena Rybakina 👏

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆#NingboOpen pic.twitter.com/SdvTCfSePL
— wta (@WTA) October 19, 2025

The current Race standings underline how close it is:

Rank	Player	Points
1	Aryna Sabalenka	9,990
2	Iga Swiatek	8,303
3	Coco Gauff	6,573
4	Amanda Anisimova	5,897
5	Jessica Pegula	5,183
6	Madison Keys	4,395
7	Jasmine Paolini	4325 (+1)
8	Mirra Andreeva	4319 (-1)
9	Elena Rybakina	4,305

At Ningbo, both Paolini and Rybakina reached the semifinals, and under normal circumstances, Rybakina’s title run would’ve sealed her Finals qualification. However, since Paolini already held the higher point total, her semifinal finish was enough to lock her spot instead. That leaves just Rybakina and Andreeva fighting for the last berth, and no scenario exists where both can qualify.

Elena Rybakina will have to go on a revenge tour in Tokyo if she wants to reach the SFs and qualify for Riyadh.

Faces Fernandez in R2 who beat her in the D.C. SF, followed by Lys (Beijing 3R) or Mboko (Montreal SF) in the quarters. pic.twitter.com/Pz0uTCvchS
— Christian's Court (@christianscourt) October 21, 2025

As the WTA regular season closes, Tokyo now becomes the decisive battleground. For Rybakina, a few more victories could not only avenge her earlier near misses but also secure her return to the year-end stage among the sport’s elite.

Mandatory Image Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Elena Rybakina

Last Spot

Mirra Andreeva

Rudra Dubey

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.