11th February, 2013
World number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus has seen her lead over American Serena Williams shrink to just 55 points as the latest WTA world rankings were released on Monday.
Williams; who has won 15 Grand Slam singles titles and held the number one ranking on five occasions, overtook Russian diva Maria Sharapova to go second while Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska stays fourth with China’s former French Open champion Li Na taking over fifth spot.
Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki slips to 10th spot and is just five points ahead of French number one Marion Bartoli.
WTA top rankings:
1. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 10,325 pts
2. Serena Williams (USA) 9,970
3. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 9,545
4. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 7,550
5. Li Na (CHN) 6,255
6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 5,400
7. Sara Errani (ITA) 4,795
8. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,285
9. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 4,230
10. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,545
In the men’s ranking, Novak Djokovic comfortably retained his world No.1 spot in the ATP, as France’s Richard Gasquet returned to the top 10 after winning his second tournament of the year at the Sud de France Open on Sunday.
Former world N.1 Rafael Nadal remains in fifth place despite reaching the final of an ATP event in Chile as the top four remain the same, with Roger Federer, Andy Murray and David Ferrer also standing in front of the Spaniard’s comeback bid.
Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos who was ranked 73rd in the world, denied Nadal a fairytale finish to his comeback tournament, rallying to hand the Spaniard a rare clay court defeat 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.
Croatian Marin Cilic won on home soil for the third time at the Zagreb Open by destroying Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-1 in just 67 minutes as he climbs to 12th.
ATP world top 20
1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 12,960 pts
2. Roger Federer (SUI) 10,265
3. Andy Murray (GBR) 8,480
4. David Ferrer (ESP) 6,865
5. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 5,550
6. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 4,575
7. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 4,210
8. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 3,515
9. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) 3,125
10. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 2,925