By Victor Kanayo
American teenage tennis star Coco Gauff has now shot to her highest-ever career spot on the newly-released world tennis ranking.
The 19-year-old, who recently defeated Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka to win the US Open and claim her first Grand Slam title, moved three places to third on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.
Gauff overtakes compatriot Jessica Pegula, who drops two places and is currently fifth in the ranking.
Africa’s No. 1 women’s tennis player, Ons Jabeur, also suffered a drop in position as the Tunisian moved from fifth place into seventh place on the ranking following her round-of-16 exit at the US Open after suffering defeat to China’s Qinwen Zheng.
Another American enjoyed a huge leap in Monday’s ranking as US Open semi-finalist Madison Keys moved seven spots up to No. 11 from eighteenth.
US Open finalist Sabalenka overtakes Iga Swiatek, who moves into second at the summit to become the new world No. 1. She currently leads the Polish tennis star with 1071 points following her exploits in New York.
The reigning Australian Open champion brings an end to Swiatek’s 75-week dominance at the top to become the 29th woman to reach the No. 1 ranking since the beginning of the WTA in 1973.
Kazakhstani star Elene Rybakina remains unmoved in fourth; reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova moved three places into sixth in the rankings; Czech Karolina Muchova occupies the 8th spot, moving two places upwards; Maria Sakkari (Greece) drops into 9th place from 8th; and France’s Caroline Garcia completes the top ten after dropping three spots.
