Venus Williams makes top 20 return

PARIS (AFP) –

Venus Williams hits a forehand during a singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on June 22, 2011

US player Venus Williams returns the ball to Japanese player Kimiko Date-Krumm during their match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in southwest London, on June 22, 2011.

Former world no.1 Venus Williams has returned to the top 20 in the latest WTA rankings published on Monday that sees her sister Serena stay on top ahead of Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova.

Venus, 32, climbed to 20th spot, despite not winning more points, as Germany’s Julia Goerges dropped to 24th.

In other movements, former world no.1 Jelena Jankovic, of Serbia, rose three places to 21st after winning the Bogota Open on Sunday — her first victory since 2010 and the 13th of her career.

In the top 10, Czech player Petra Kvitova jumped one place to seventh after her victory in Dubai against Italy’s Sara Errani, who dropped to eighth.

Latest WTA world rankings:

1. Serena Williams (USA) 10.365 pts

2. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 10.325

3. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 9715

4. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 7505

5. Li Na (CHN) 6130

6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 5400

7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4980 (+1)

8. Sara Errani (ITA) 4915 (-1)

9. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 3835

10. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3570

11. Marion Bartoli (FRA) 3265

12. Nadia Petrova (RUS) 3050

13. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 2836

14. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 2695 (+1)

15. Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 2671 (-1)

16. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 2665 (+1)

17. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2535 (-1)

18. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 2065

19. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 1950

20. Venus Williams (USA) 1810 (+1)