Naomi Osaka returns to number one in WTA rankings

(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 30, 2019 Japan’s Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning against Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka during their women’s singles second round match on day five of The Roland Garros 2019 French Open tennis tournament in Paris on May 30, 2019. – With the burden of being world number one lifted, Naomi Osaka will set her sights on Wimbledon 2019, buoyed by the support of Roger Federer and praying for a decent draw this year. (Photo by Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka returned to the world number one spot in the WTA rankings on Monday.

The 21-year-old lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of last week’s Rogers Cup but benefitted from the second round defeat of former number one Ashleigh Barty and the failure of Karolina Pliskova to reach the semis in Toronto.

Osaka first hit top spot in January, after winning back-to-back majors in New York and Melbourne, making history as the first Japanese player to achieve it.

After seven weeks on top, Barty slips to second with Pliskova in third.

The only other movement in the top 10 sees Williams, finalist in Toronto, climbing two places to eight with Sloane Stephens going in the other direction.

Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who won the Rogers Cup following Williams’ withdrawal with back spasms in the opening set of the final, climbs 13 places to 14.

WTA rankings as of August 12

1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,417 pts (+1)

2. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,256 (-1)

3. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 6,185

4. Simona Halep (ROU) 5,223

5. Kiki Bertens (NED) 5,120

6. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,780

7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,577

8. Serena Williams (USA) 3,995 (+2)

9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,565

10. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,189 (-2)

11. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,167

12. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,008

13. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,875

14. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 2,837 (+13)

15. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,695 (-1)

16. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 2,652 (-1)

17. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,647 (-1)

18. Madison Keys (USA) 2,557 (-1)

19. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,537 (-1)

20. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,380 (-1)

…

40. Victoria Azarenka (-1)

65. Venus Williams (-9)

97. Maria Sharapova (-16)