Wimbledon champion called out after withdrawing from tournament in semi-finals

Elena Rybakina went on an impressive run to secure her spot at the WTA Finals, the season-ending championships for the eight players who have earned the most ranking points this year. A former Wimbledon champion, Rybakina went on a six-match winning streak to become the last woman to qualify for the prestigious tournament.

The Kazakh won the Ningbo Open, and her fate was in her own hands at last week's WTA 500 event in Tokyo. Rybakina had to reach the semi-finals there to earn a place at the WTA Finals, and she did just that.

However, Rybakina pulled out of the Toray Pan Pacific Open after making it to the semi-finals, which gave Linda Noskova a walkover into the championship match.

"I'm very sorry I can't play today. I have been having problems with my back this week and can't play 100 per cent," the world No. 6 said in a statement as she announced her withdrawal in Tokyo.

Rybakina played a lot of tennis to qualify for the WTA Finals, and she would have wanted to avoid aggravating any physical problems before her last tournament of the year. But retired ATP stars Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey criticised Rybakina for withdrawing once she got what she wanted.

Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, which they co-host with John Isner and Jack Sock, the Americans didn't agree with the 26-year-old's decision not to play her semi-final match.

"I don't know. Make the semis and then just pull the rip cord like 'I've made it. Screw you all'," Johnson said.

Querrey replied: "I hate being like, Oh, I feel bad for the tournament guy', but that does stink. Like make the semis and just dip out."

Johnson knew that Rybakina put a lot of effort into reaching the semis, getting revenge over Leylah Fernandez and Victoria Mboko, who handed her two tough losses over the summer. But he still thought that she should have taken the court in Tokyo.

He added: "I would rather have her go out there and just lose one and one. Pulling out is hard to do. Like, it's really impressive, first of all, to make it. She knew she had to make a semifinal to reach the Finals, she did it.

"And then she beat two players who had beaten her earlier this year. As soon as she beat Mboko, I feel like she just walked off the court, went right to the doctor's office, and said, 'Thank you, I'm done, I'll see you guys never'."

Belinda Bencic went on to lift the trophy in Tokyo, beating Noskova in the final. And Rybakina is now on her way to Riyadh to make her third consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals.

The Kazakh has been drawn in the Serena Williams Group alongside Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, and Madison Keys. They will face off in round-robin matches to reach the knockout semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Jasmine Paolini have been drawn in the Stefanie Graf Group.