WTA rankings update: Ashleigh Barty tightens grip on No. 1 ranking; Danielle Collins breaks into top 10

By Haresh Ramchandani
Modified Feb 02, 2022 05:28 GMT
Danielle Collins, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Ashleigh Barty during the trophy presentation for the Women’s Singles Final match at the 2022 Australian Open
Danielle Collins, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Ashleigh Barty during the trophy presentation for the Women’s Singles Final match at the 2022 Australian Open

25-year-old Ashleigh Barty has tightened her grip atop the WTA rankings after winning the Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday. Barty defeated American Danielle Collins 6-3, 7-6(2) to win her third Grand Slam singles title and end Australia's 44-year-wait for a singles champion at their home Slam.

This was the Australian's second Grand Slam title in seven months following her Wimbledon triumph in July last year.

Barty has been ranked No. 1 in the world since 9 September 2019 and has now been on top of the WTA rankings for 106 consecutive weeks and 113 weeks overall. She now looks all but certain to move past Justine Henin's tally of 117 weeks as World No. 1.

28-year-old Collins jumped 20 positions to No. 10 after reaching her first Grand Slam singles final. This marks her debut in the top 10. Collins also became the top-ranked American woman in the WTA rankings for the first time in her career.

Barty holds a 2,633-point lead over her closest rival Aryna Sabalenka in the WTA rankings. The pair are followed by Barbora Krejcikova (No. 3), Australian Open semifinalist Iga Swiatek (+5 to No. 4), Karolina Pliskova (No. 5), Paula Badosa (No. 6), Garbine Muguruza (-4 to No. 7), Maria Sakkari (No. 8), Anett Kontaveit (-2 to No. 9) and Collins.

Emma Raducanu and Jessica Pegula reach new highs as Naomi Osaka, Sofia Kenin and Serena Willliams see major falls in the WTA rankings

Emma Raducanu at the 2022 Australian Open
Emma Raducanu at the 2022 Australian Open

Outside the top 10, US Open champion Emma Raducanu climbed five positions to a new career-high No. 13. The 19-year-old's Australian Open debut this year was hampered by painful blisters which saw her resort to slicing forehands during her second-round loss to Danka Kovinic.

American Jessica Pegula, a quarterfinalist in Melbourne, climbed five positions to No. 16, a new career-high for the 27-year-old. Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who reached the fourth round this year in Melbourne, also moved up seven spots to return to the top 20 at No. 18.

Australian Open semifinalist Madison Keys jumped up 23 spots to No. 28 this week, while Amanda Anisimova, who ousted defending champion Naomi Osaka en route to the last 16, climbed 19 spots to No. 41.

36-year-old Kaia Kanepi, who reached the last eight in Melbourne to complete her set of quarterfinal appearances in each of the four Majors at least once, jumped 52 positions to No. 63.

There were also some big downward movements with points from the 2020 and 2021 Australian Open editions dropping off this week. Naomi Osaka, whose title defense ended in the third round, tumbled 71 spots down to No. 85 while 2020 champion Sofia Kenin, who lost in the second round, dropped 82 positions to No. 95.

23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who failed to defend her semifinal points from 12 months ago and has not played since Wimbledon, dropped more than 180 spots to No. 244.