Naomi Osaka of Japan, left, is congratulated by Ashleigh Barty of Australia after winning in the women’s final at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Naomi Osaka’s win over world number one Ashleigh Barty in Beijing at the weekend lifted the Japanese player back into the top three in the new WTA rankings released on Monday.
It meant back-to-back WTA Tour titles for the 21-year-old, who won the Australian Open in January, but then failed to match those high standards at the next three Grand Slams.
French Open winner Barty retains top spot and even extends her lead following the failure of Karolina Pliskova to get past the first round in China.
Osaka’s rise to three means Elina Svitolina, quarterfinalist in Beijing, slips to four.
US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, who lost a thrilling quarter-final to Osaka last week, also climbs a place to number five pushing Simona Halep down to six.
ATP Rankings as of October 7:
1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 7,096 pts
2. Karolína Plíšková (CZE) 6,015
3. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 5,621 (+1)
4. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,525 (-1)
5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 5,041 (+1)
6. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,962 (-1)
7. Petra Kvitová (CZE) 4,776
8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,495
9. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935
10. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,848
11. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,063
12. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,818
13. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,775
14. Madison Keys (USA) 2,767 (+1)
15. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,615 (+1)
16. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2,580 (-2)
17. Petra Martic (CRO) 2,517
18. Marketa Vondroisova (CZE) 2,390 (+3)
19. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2,290 (+4)
20. Alison Riske (USA) 2,185 (+4)