The 2025 season was another strong one for Elena Rybakina, but it also became one of the most physically challenging of her career due to a series of injuries that continually disrupted her rhythm. Even so, the 2022 Wimbledon champion finished the year ranked No. 5 in the world, powered by an exceptional finish to the season. Rybakina secured the final qualifying spot for the WTA Finals after winning the title in Ningbo, and once she arrived at the year-end event, she was unstoppable. 

She went undefeated, beating world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the group stage and then overcoming world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a commanding final. Her triumph earned her a record $5.235 million, pushing her annual prize money to more than $8.45 million, along with a full 1,500 ranking points. Her other standout moment came in May when she claimed the title in Strasbourg.

However, the season also delivered several disappointments, as she failed to advance deep into any of the four Grand Slams. At the Australian Open, she exited in the fourth round after losing to Madison Keys, a match heavily impacted by a back injury that surfaced early in the year. In an interview with Sportilinet.kz, Rybakina explained that although her back issue was quickly managed, the most persistent problems came from her legs, which fluctuated between better and worse throughout the season. Her team relied on recovery work and various treatments, but the discomfort was something that could not be resolved overnight.

Late in the year, she also dealt with shoulder pain caused by the accumulated fatigue of playing too many tournaments in a row and serving heavily. She clarified that the injury did not require treatment and disappeared after she took a short period of rest. Because of the physical toll of the season, Rybakina withdrew from the World Tennis League exhibition event in India, noting that returning to competition by December 17 would have been far too rushed.

Her focus now is on recovery and structured preparation. She plans to train for four weeks in Dubai before playing an exhibition event in China, which fits well with her travel schedule ahead of Australia. After that, she will head to Brisbane and then to the Australian Open.