A Fatal Visa Issue: The Reason for Andreeva's Absence in Tokyo Revealed

Mirra Andreeva, absent in Tokyo, will likely not compete in the WTA Finals, which should benefit Elena Rybakina.

The race for WTA Finals qualification is intensifying. Only one spot remains to be awarded for the Riyadh Masters, which will take place in early November in the Saudi capital.

Seven players have already secured their places for the tournament, while the final ticket will be contested between Mirra Andreeva, currently 8th in the Race, and Elena Rybakina (9th). Only 15 points separate the two players, but the latter will be present at the WTA 500 in Tokyo.

Rybakina will officially qualify for the WTA Finals if she reaches the semi-finals in the Japanese capital. She will need to successively defeat Leylah Fernandez and Victoria Mboko.

However, Andreeva's absence in Tokyo is puzzling, especially since her spot in the Masters was not guaranteed before the tournament, unlike Jasmine Paolini, who was initially set to participate but withdrew at the last moment.

The 18-year-old player, who won her first two WTA 1000 titles this year, would have liked to compete in the Tokyo tournament but couldn't due to an administrative issue. This was confirmed by Ellen Perez, a doubles specialist, on X (formerly Twitter): "She doesn't have the visa to play in Tokyo."