WTA Rankings update: Aryna Sabalenka leads for another week, Hong Kong champion Diana Shnaider, runner-up Katie Boulter soar to new highs
With the season about to conclude, quite a few top players made one final push to improve their standing in the WTA rankings. Diana Shnaider captured her fourth title of the season at the Hong Kong Open with a straight-sets win over Katie Boulter in the final.
The Russian youngster jumped a couple of spots to a new career high of No. 12 this week. Unless Barbora Krejcikova wins a match at the WTA Finals, Shnaider is likely to end her first full year on the WTA Tour at that spot. Boulter's runner-up finish also pushed her to a new peak of No. 23, in a career-best season for her as well.
Rebecca Sramkova's strong finish to her season saw her reach her third final in two months at the Jiujiang Open, though she came up short against Viktorija Golobic. Nevertheless, she rose 10 places to a new career high of No. 43 in this week's WTA rankings. The Swiss, meanwhile, inched closer to the top 100 with her title-winning run and flew 63 places to No. 105.
22-year-old Zeynep Sonmez from Turkey won her maiden WTA title at the Merida Open and made her top 100 debut as a result. She jumped 36 spots to No. 91, while runner-up Ann Li returned to the top 100 at No. 93. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (No. 55), Renata Zarazua (No. 59), Suzan Lamens (No. 86), and Sonay Kartal (No. 88) are the other players to record new career highs this week.
The top 10 of the WTA rankings will change only after the WTA Finals
There is no change in the top 10 of the WTA rankings this week. The conclusion of the WTA Finals this Saturday (November 9) could lead to a possible shake-up next week. Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning No. 1, is locked in a battle for the year-end top ranking with Iga Swiatek. Both won their first match of the group stage at the WTA Finals.
Jasmine Paolini has a chance to overtake Coco Gauff as the World No. 3, provided that she goes one round further than the American. Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and Zheng Qinwen could also swap positions based on their results at the WTA Finals.
Barbora Krejcikova has a chance to return to the top 10, but she will have to win both of her remaining round-robin matches at the year-end championships. She could become the first player to participate in the WTA Finals and still end the season ranked outside the top 10.
To view this week's WTA rankings, click here.