Sabalenka Maintains Lead Over Swiatek In No. 1 Spot In Latest WTA Rankings

| by Nurein Ahmed

Aryna Sabalenka will begin her third week at the top of the WTA Rankings, maintaining the same points gap over Poland's Iga Swiatek ahead of the Asian swing.

The world's top five players were not in action this past week, leading to a spate of withdrawals from the WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara. Consequently, there was no movement in rankings and no changes in points tally. Therefore, Sabalenka, with 9,266 points, has the same cushion from the previous week of 1,071 points over Swiatek.

Most of the WTA's Top 10 players will begin their campaigns in Asia this week, including Swiatek who is the top seed in Tokyo. As Sabalenka extends her rest time, the Pole can truncate that lead if she ends up winning her fifth title of the season on her debut at the Japan Open.

Maria Sakkari rose three spots to sixth in the latest rankings thanks to her scintillating triumph at the Gualadalaja Open. The Greek raced to win her second career title without the loss of a set, beating the surprise finalist Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3.

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Nonetheless, Dolehide won't leave western Mexico empty-handed. The American cracks the world's Top 50 for the first time and will vault to 42nd, having begun the tournament ranked outside the world's Top 100. She made up 69 places in the ranking staircase.

The second-biggest mover in the Top 100 is China's Xiyu Wang. The 22-year-old dazzled her home crowd in Guangzhou, winning the WTA 250 event by beating Poland's Magda Linette quite comprehensively in the final. It is her first WTA title, and her ranking shoots to 58th, which is nine spots lower than her previous career-high mark.

American Sofia Kenin appears to be rising steadily in recent weeks. After a runner-up finish in San Diego, the former Australian Open champion made the semifinal in Guadalajara. Having been perilously close to a Top 100 exit, Kenin has soared 62 spots in two weeks and is now ranked in 31st position.

Another American also on the up is Taylor Townsend who re-enters the Top 100 this week after reaching the Round of 16 in Guadalajara. Townsend's campaign ended with a defeat to Emiliana Arango of Colombia. The 22-year-old climbed 60 staircases to a new career-high ranking of 120 by virtue of her maiden quarterfinal run at WTA 1000 level.

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