WTA rankings: Garcia returns to top-20, Kvitova and Keys rise

Caroline Garcia is the biggest riser inside the WTA’s top-100 this week, and she’s back in the top-20 for the first time in over three years.

Caroline Garcia, Cincinnati 2022 – © AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Chris Oddo

August 22, 2022

Caroline Garcia’s red-hot summer has landed her inside the top-20 once again, while other Cincinnati standouts also improved their ranking in this week’s WTA rankings.

Scroll down for a look at who jumped…

Garcia back in top-20 for the first time in three years

France’s Garcia had held an elite ranking before, but it has been a while. The former world No 4 dropped out of the top-20 in March of 2019 and hadn’t been back since. She was down as low as 79 just prior to Roland-Garros, but after a breakout that has seen her claim titles in Warsaw and Cincinnati, Garcia is now back at No 17 – her highest ranking since October of 2018.

The Frenchwoman has recorded a 26-4 record in her past seven tournaments and will head to the US Open as a seed – and a threat to win the title.

Kvitova jumps seven spots

The 32-year-old Czech wasn’t able to handle the game of Garcia in Sunday’s Cincinnati final, but her thrilling run to her 40th career title has her back on the cusp of the top-20. Kvitova rises seven spots to No 21 in the world. The former world No 2 will head to the US Open, where she is a two-time quarter-finalist, as a contender.

Keys also returns to top-20

American Madison Keys also returns to the top-20, for the first time since March of 2021, thanks to a run to the semi-finals that was ended by Petra Kvitova in Cincinnati.

The 27-year-old American is shaping up to be a threat at the US Open once again. She was the runner-up in New York in 2017, and Keys is always a danger at the majors. She has reached the second week in 17 of her last 27 appearances at the Grand Slams, and reached eight quarter-finals in that span.

Top-100 debut for Cocciaretto

Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto (No 100) becomes the 12th WTA player to make her top-100 debut this year. She joins fellow Italian Lucia Bronzetti as the only Italians to make their Top 100 debuts in 2022 – there are currently five Italians inside the WTA’s top-100 and Cocciaretto, at 21, is the youngest of the five.

Pliskova drops out of top-20

Karolina Pliskova has fallen outside the top-20 for the first time since 2015. The former world No 1 drops five spots from 17 to 22. She is 15-14 on the season after falling in the third round at Cincinnati to Elise Mertens.