Katie Boulter advanced to the second round of the Japan Open after overcoming rain delays to defeat home favorite Himeno Sakatsume in straight sets. The match, held in Osaka, saw Boulter leading 6-3, 3-1 when play was suspended on Monday due to inclement weather.

Upon resuming on Tuesday, Boulter quickly closed out the match with a score of 6-3, 6-1, setting up a second-round clash against Viktorija Golubic from Switzerland. Boulter reflected on the challenging conditions, stating, "Yesterday was a tough spot to end at. I wanted to play last night and continue but with the rain, unfortunately, that wasn't possible."

Despite the interruption, she maintained a strong mindset, emphasizing her focus on avoiding a third set:

I think I did that. I didn't want to be out here playing a third set so I'm pleased with today.

In a contrasting development, Iga Swiatek is poised to miss the WTA Finals for the first time since 2020 after withdrawing from the Ningbo Open due to a thigh injury. This injury affected her performance during her semi-final match against compatriot Maja Chwalinska, who went on to win the tournament in Wuhan.

Swiatek, a six-time grand slam champion, needed to reach at least the quarter-finals in Ningbo to keep her hopes of qualifying alive. However, she could still qualify as one of two alternates for the Finals.