As the 2022 Australian Open is over now, it is expected that we have quite a few ranking shifts after two weeks of no updates. Let’s have a look at the most notable changes in the WTA rankings effective on Monday, January 31.
Petra Kvitova, Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep and Sofia Kenin all fell out of the Top 20, while Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins, Belinda Bencic and Victoria Azarenka all (re)joined the prestigious group of players.
Ashleigh Barty extends stay at No.1
By winning the 2022 Australian Open title, her third at a Grand Slam and already second WTA trophy this season, Ashleigh Barty solidified her No.1 position. The 25-year-old is now spending her 113th week at the summit (106th consecutive week). With 8331 points, she is 2633 points ahead of second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka.
Danielle Collins breaks into Top 10
Surprise Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins skyrocketed 20 spots to make a Top 10 debut at No.10. Besides achieving this career milestone, the 28-year-old has also become the top-ranked American WTA player.
Iga Swiatek returns to career-high
By reaching the semifinals in Melbourne, 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek earned 780 points and returned to her career-high ranking of No.4.
Paula Badosa becomes new Spanish queen
Paula Badosa has overtaken Garbine Muguruza as the highest-ranked Spanish WTA player. By reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, Badosa retained her position No.6, while Muguruza’s second-round exit pushed her from No.3 to No.7.
Emma Raducanu, Jessica Pegula hit new career-highs in the Top 20
British Emma Raducanu and American Jessica Pegula both rose five spots to occupy new career-highs on January 31. The 19-year-old Raducanu lost in the second round, but this was her main-draw debut at the Australian Open, so her WTA ranking improved to No.13. The 27-year-old Pegula advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
Naomi Osaka, Sofia Kenin plummet
Last year’s Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka, who fell in the third round to Amanda Anisimova in the tournament’s 2022 edition, is not only no longer a Top 20 player, she’s not even in the Top 50 any more! The former world No.1’s ranking is currently No.85, as she fell 71 spots.
The 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin occupied the No.13 ranking as she played the season’s first Grand Slam this month. However, after a first-round defeat, the American is flirting with a Top 100 exit at position No.95. That’s a 82-spot drop! Even worse than Osaka’s.
Kaia Kanepi makes the biggest jump
The biggest rise in this week’s WTA rankings belongs to Kaia Kanepi, which could be bittersweet for the Estonian. She made the quarterfinals at the 2022 Australian Open, but by failing to reach the final four she is now 0-7 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. Nevertheless, the former world No.15 has climbed 52 spots, from No.115 to No.63.
Don’t forget Brady who lost finalist points dropping 82 places.
JE, thanks for noting. She dropped to No.110! Ouch.