WTA rankings: Swiatek makes big move to No 4; Stephens back inside top 40

Iga Swiatek equalled her career-high ranking of No 4 on Monday, while others also made moves. Here’s our round-up of the latest WTA rankings

Iga Swiatek of Poland in action during the quarter-final of the 2022 Qatar TotalEnergies Open (Panoramic)

Simon Cambers

February 28, 2022

Ash Barty remains well clear at the top of the WTA rankings but the pack are tightening up behind her, with Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejkiova making the most significant moves this week. With tournaments to come this week in Monterrey and Lyon, here’s a quick look at who’s moved up and down.

Click here for latest WTA rankings, as of February 28, 2022.

• Swiatek makes big move up to No 4 after Doha win

Poland’s Iga Swiatek made the biggest move in the top 10, climbing four places to equal her career-high mark of No 4 on the back of her stunning win in Doha where she dropped just two games in the final against Anett Kontaveit.

The 20-year-old was in scintillating form all week but saved her best for the final as she won the last 10 games to secure her fourth career title.

Iga Swiatek’s last 4 finals:

2020 Roland Garros: 64 61, Kenin
2021 Adelaide: 62 62, Bencic
2021 Rome: 60 60, Pliskova
2022 Doha: 62 60, Kontaveit

Lost a total of 2 games in her 2 WTA 1000 finals.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 26, 2022

French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova climbed one place to her own career-high ranking of No 2 – matching her doubles ranking – as Aryna Sabalenka fell one spot. Kontaveit also moved up two spots to a new career-high of No 5, maintaining her superb form of late.

• Biggest riser: Stephens up to No 39 after Guadalaja title

For the first time since 2018, Sloane Stephens has a title to her name after the American lifted the trophy in Guadalajara in fine style. The 28-year-old former US Open champion and once as high as No 3 in the WTA rankings, beat Maria Buzkova in the final to move up 18 places to No 39, the biggest move by anyone in the world’s top 100.

A SMILE that will light up the night 😃🏆@SloaneStephens | #AbiertoAKRON pic.twitter.com/AzCGR3I4yZ
— wta (@WTA) February 28, 2022

“It’s the beginning of the season, so there’s still a lot of tennis to be played, but I’m excited to be able to put some matches together,” Stephens said. “Excited that I was able to do that, get a title, and hopefully continue on with that momentum.

“I still want to get back to where I was, that’s still really important to me. I think it’s possible, it’s doable, so I’m really excited about that.”

• Gauff, Kalinskaya among those moving up

Coco Gauff is back in the world’s top 20. The 17-year-old American beat Paula Badosa on the way to the quarter-finals in Dubai and moves up four places to No 19, three short of her career-high.

Maria Bouzkova was the next biggest riser in the top 100 after Stephens, climbing 15 places to No 81, while others to move up included Anna Kalinskaya, up 14 places to No 86; Kaja Juvan, up eight to No 82; Jaqueline Cristian of Romania, up six to No 65 and Ana Konjuh, up five to No 46.

• Biggest faller: Kvitova drops out of top 30

A wrist injury to Petra Kvitova meant an earlier than hoped for departure in Dubai and the two-time former Wimbledon champion is a big faller in the world’s top 100 this week, dropping 10 places to No 31.

The biggest faller is Australia’s Astra Sharma, down 12 places to No 96. Karolina Muchova, another Czech, drops 11 places to No 73 while Misaki Doi is down nine spots to No 87.

• Career-highs: Krejcikova and Kontaveit lead the way

Barbora Krejcikova and Anett Kontaveit both picked up career-high rankings this week while many others also sit at new bests. Here’s a list of who’s reached a career-high ranking this week.