WTA Rankings: Melbourne winner Sofia Kenin cracks top-10. Ashleigh Barty stays no. 1

• Tennis News

The first Major event of the season is behind us, causing numerous changes in the elite top-10 company of the WTA Tour, as always before at the most significant tennis scene with 2000 points up for grabs. The home star Ashleigh Barty lost in two tight sets to Sofia Kenin, extending the drought of the Aussie players at the Australian Open but earning enough points to stay ahead of the rivals and continue her WTA reign.

In the other semi-final, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep lost to Garbine Muguruza following another tight battle, earning 780 points and gaining one spot on the list to become world no. 2 again ahead of Karolina Pliskova who lost many points following the third-round defeat.

The Czech is now ranked third, having a solid lead over Elina Svitolina who has moved from fifth to fourth despite an early exit in Melbourne. Another top-10 star who couldn't pass the third obstacle is Belinda Bencic, finishing the campaign much earlier than she expected but still doing enough to find herself in the top-5 for the first time in a career.

Bianca Andreescu had to skip the Australian Open, losing a small number of points and staying sixth, less than 200 points ahead of the newly-promoted Australian Open champion and world no. 7 Sofia Kenin. The 21-year-old American became the youngest champion in Melbourne since 2008 and also the youngest American to crack the top-10 since Serena Williams in 1999, staying on the strong course she set in 2019 and hoping to become world no.

1 in the rest of the year. Sofia earned eight spots on the list after claiming those 2000 points, moving ahead of Kiki Bertens who also jumped two rivals to settle in the eighth spot following the fourth-round loss to Garbine Muguruza.

Serena Williams is still ranked ninth, almost 300 points clear of the last year's champion Naomi Osaka who lost to Cori Gauff in the third round, dropping six positions on the list to barely stay in the top-10 ahead of Petra Kvitova who had to leave the elite company after the quarter-final loss to Ashleigh Barty.

Madison Keys, Aryna Sabalenka, Johanna Konta and Petra Martic have all lost a place to Sofia Kenin, staying just ahead of the Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza who is back inside the top-20 for the first time since June last year.

The 15-year-old Cori Guaff is just a couple of points away from the top-50 after playing in the fourth round on the Australian Open debut, making steady progress through the list despite all the restrictions and reduced schedule. WTA Rankings