Mirra Andreeva’s Tokyo absence explained: Visa issues threaten WTA Finals dream

An unusual reason is reportedly what kept Mirra Andreeva out of competition in the final week of the WTA Tour, putting her qualification for the WTA Finals on a razor's edge. The winner of two WTA 1000 titles this year could miss the Riyadh event due to Visa problems—according to one of her colleagues.

The 18-year-old teenager has had a remarkable 2025 season, winning titles at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and Indian Wells—two consecutive WTA 1000 trophies—and a 40-16 season record. She has accumulated over $4.6 million in earnings and reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The Russian's great season had her comfortably inside the Top-5 for much of the year. However, the last couple of months have not been too fruitful, and her possibility of being in the WTA Finals—which seemed practically certain not long ago—now hangs by a thread.

Andreeva had an irregular Asian Swing, losing in the Round of 16 at the China Open and then suffering first-round defeats at the Wuhan and Ningbo Opens. Three tournaments where she lost the chance to score many points, amidst physical concerns after suffering an injury during the North American Swing. "We did a good job in recovery and strengthening it. I hope it's not gonna bother me for the rest of the season,” Andreeva commented recently in Beijing. “I hope it's not gonna bother me at all until the end of my life. But for now, I'm feeling healthy."

The Asian Swing was also precisely an opportunity taken by her main pursuers—Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina—who had good campaigns in their recent tournaments and closed the gap on Andreeva.

In fact, the Italian has already reached 7th place in the Race and secured her qualification for the WTA Finals, displacing Andreeva to 8th place. Meanwhile, Rybakina—the Ningbo champion last week—is in the 9th spot, only 15 points away from Andreeva. With only one extra week of competition, Rybakina will be at the Tokyo Open trying to score the necessary points to qualify, while Andreeva, curiously, will not be competing.

Undoubtedly a striking decision, as Andreeva no longer depends on herself to qualify for the WTA Finals, and everything is in the hands of what Rybakina can achieve. The Kazakh needs to advance to the semi-finals in Tokyo—meaning she requires two wins—and could knock Andreeva out at the last moment. Rybakina must face Leylah Fernandez in her debut, and if she advances, she will await the winner between Eva Lys and Victoria Mboko.

Andreeva's conspicuous decision, however, appears to have an explanation that goes beyond a tactical choice or a rest period.

In a social media post, journalist José Morgado pointed out that Andreeva was not entered in any tournament for this week—making Paolini’s qualification for the Finals certain and the possibility of Rybakina joining contingent on a good campaign in Tokyo.

One fan's comment wondered why the teenager had opted not to compete in Tokyo: "I legit don't understand what happened here with Mirra. She was given an Exemption WC in the middle of the week and then she rescinded it. What on earth is going on with her? it's not an easy road for Rybakina to make the Semis' next week, but still."

It was then that the reply came from the Australian doubles specialist Ellen Perez—currently World No. 23 in doubles—who responded: "She doesn't have the visa to play in Tokyo."