Teenager Coco Gauff climbs to 71 after maiden win in Linz

Coco Gauff of the US pauses in the first set against Timea Babos of Hungary during their Round Two Women’s Singles tennis match of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on August 29, 2019. (Photo by DOMINICK REUTER / AFP)

American prodigy Coco Gauff continued her rise up the ranks of women’s tennis on Monday when the WTA rankings showed a climb of 39 places to number 71 in the world.

Gauff started last week in Linz at 110 and was originally set for an early departure from Austria after losing in the qualifying rounds before grabbing a lifeline as a lucky loser.

She went on to beat 2017 Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostapenko in the final for her maiden title.

It marks a meteoric rise for the young American — at the end of 2018, she was 686 in the world.

Another good performance in Luxembourg this week could see her knocking on the door of the top 50.

There was no movement in the top 20 with Ashleigh Barty retaining the number one spot for another week.

WTA rankings as of October 14:

1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 7,096 pts

2. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 5,940

3. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 5,621

4. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,495

5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 5,041

6. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,962

7. Petra Kvitova (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

15. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,615

16. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2,580

17. Petra Martic (CRO) 2,458

18. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 2,390

19. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2,290

20. Alison Riske (USA) 2,185