Kvitova closes in on return to top 20

PARIS: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova moved to the brink of a return to the world's top 20 on Monday, after winning the Saint Petersburg title at the weekend.

The 27-year-old Czech fell out of the top 20 in the rankings last year for the first time since January 2011, but has jumped eight places to 21st.

Former world number two Kvitova beat defending champion Kristina Mladenovic in the final in Russia to claim only her second WTA title since suffering a hand injury in a knife attack in December 2016.

Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki maintains her slender lead at the top of the rankings from Simona Halep, despite losing to Russian Daria Kasatkina in the Saint Petersburg quarter-finals.

Germany's Julia Goerges broke into the world's top 10 for the first time despite a semi-final defeat by Kvitova, gaining two spots and taking the place of Frenchwoman Mladenovic.?AFP

WTA rankings on February 5

1. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 7,965 pts
2. Simona Halep (ROM) 7,616
3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,835
4. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 5,690
5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,445
6. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 5,000
7. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 4,495
8. Venus Williams (USA) 4,277
9. Angelique Kerber (GER) 3,031
10. Julia Goerges (GER) 2,900 (+2)
11. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,825
12. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,813 (+1)
13. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 2,770 (-3)
14. Madison Keys (USA) 2,644
15. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2,540
16. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 2,486
17. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 2,434 (+1)
18. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 2,363 (+1)
19. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 2,362 (-2)
20. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2,215

Selected

21. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 2,187 (+8)