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