Serena Williams of the US reacts during her quarterfinal loss to compatriot Sloan Stephens at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. AP
MELBOURNE, Australia — Victoria Azarenka or Serena Williams will hold the WTA’s No. 1 ranking Monday depending on the result of Saturday’s Australian Open final between Azarenka and China’s Li Na.
Azarenka will maintain the top ranking if she wins, the WTA said Saturday. If Li captures her second career Grand Slam, quarterfinal loser Serena Williams will take over No. 1.
Williams would be the oldest woman to hold the top ranking — 31 years, 4 months — since computer rankings began in 1975. Chris Evert at the age of 30 years, 11 months, was formerly the oldest in November 1985.
The rest of the top five after either Azarenka or Williams at 1 or 2 is semifinal loser Maria Sharapova at No. 3, Agnieszka Radwanska at No. 4 and Li moving up to fifth from sixth.