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Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo with a neck injury on Friday, a day after she secured the year-end world number one ranking.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Moscow-born Kazakh was due to face Canada\u2019s Leylah Fernandez in the quarter-finals, but instead she came onto the court to address the crowd and sign autographs.<\/p>\n She said she would return for next month\u2019s WTA Finals in Indian Wells.<\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted to say thank you so much for coming today, but unfortunately I won\u2019t be able to play,\u201d said the 27-year-old.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been struggling for a couple of days with a little injury.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s difficult for me to come and play at 100 percent since there is also a very important tournament coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n Rybakina clinched the year-end top ranking with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Yulia Putintseva in her opening match in Tokyo.<\/p>\n She became world number one for the first time last month in winning the US Open, replacing Aryna Sabalenka at the summit.<\/p>\n The achievement capped a year in which Rybakina also won the Australian Open in January and now has three Grand Slam titles.<\/p>\n She arrived in Tokyo after winning her fourth title of the season last week at the Ningbo Open in China, beating Fernandez in the final.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you so much for all the support throughout the year, especially here in Tokyo,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing city. I really enjoy it every time I come, but unfortunately this time I won\u2019t be able to play.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks again and hope to see you all next year.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n