MINSK, 28 January (BelTA) – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka became World No. 1 tennis player for the first time in her career. Japanese athletes had never topped the world rankings either in men's singles or women's before, BelTA has learned.
Last week, 21-year-old Naomi Osaka claimed the champion title of the Australian Open, the season's first Grand Slam tournament. Before the start of the Australian Open, Osaka was the 4th on the WTA rankings. The runner-up of the Australian championships Petra Kvitova of Czechia rose from 6th to 2nd position in the world rankings.
The best-placed Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka is currently 10th in the WTA rankings, which happened for the first time in her career.
Top ten includes
1. Naomi Osaka (Japan) – 7,030 points
2. Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) – 6,290
3. Simona Halep (Romania) – 5,582
4. Sloane Stephens (USA) – 5,307
5. Carolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) – 5,100
6. Angelique Kerber (Germany) – 4,965
7. Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) – 4,940
8. Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) – 4,430
9. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) – 3,566
10. Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) – 3,485.
Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich ranks 33rd (1,520 points), Victoria Azarenka goes 51st (1,062), and Vera Lapko 63rd (896).
