Daily Times

PARIS: Pole Iga Swiatek retained her comfortable advantage as world number one as Anett Kontaveit moved to third thanks to a runners-up up finish last weekend, the WTA announced on Monday. US Open champion Swiatek, 21, will feature for the first time since this month’s Grand Slam win at Flushing Meadows by playing at Ostrava this week. Swiatek has also clinched the French Open this year and still has almost double the points as Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who she beat in the final in New York, in second. Estonian Kontaveit switches positions with Spaniard Paula Badosa despite losing Sunday’s Tallinn Open final. Russian Veronika Kudermetova, who is banned from competing under the name and flag of her country after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, climbs to a career-best 12th spot despite not playing since September 24. Mayar Sherif jumps from 74th to 49th after becoming the first woman from Egypt to claim a WTA Tour title with victory in Parma on Saturday. Sherif overcame Greek Maria Sakkari, who retains her sixth place. The season-ending WTA Finals will be held between October 31-November 7 in Texas with the top eight players qualifying. As well as the tournament in the Czech Republic there is an event in Monastir, Tunisia, this week.

Rankings:

1. Iga Swiatek (POL) 10,180 pts, 2. Ons Jabeur (TUN) 4,885, 3. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 4,010, 4. Paula Badosa (ESP) 3,934, 5. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,470, 6. Jessica Pegula (USA) 3,447, 7. Maria Sakkari (GRE) 3,355, 8. Cori Gauff (USA) 3,047, 9. Simona Halep (ROM) 3,025, 10. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 2,930, 11. Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 2,895, 12. Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 2,561, 13. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 2,406, 14. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 2,305, 15. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 2,295, 16. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 2,271, 17. Madison Keys (USA) 2,248, 18. Danielle Collins (USA) 2,177, 19. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 2,061 and 20. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 2,003.