Tennis News

As many would have expected, the season-opening Grand Slam event had a significant impact on the WTA rankings for February. While some remained firmly mounted at the top, others found their way into the Top 20, like rising star Madison Keys.

Keys, who was a top 30 competitor, was propelled into the Top 20 for the first time in her career when she reached the semi-final stage of the Australian Open this year. Working alongside Lindsay Davenport since the off-season, Keys is now the first player born in 1995 onwards to reach that ranking (according to the WTA).

“We’ve been working on returns a lot,” Keys said. “That was definitely an area where I was trying to get better. I knew Petra had such a great serve, so I was really trying to get every return into play, and I was able to do it. It was one of those nights I think I was just feeling it, and I didn’t question it.”

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Other notable American advancemets in the rankings were completed by Venus Williams, who jumped to No. 11 following her appearance in the quarter-final round of the Aussie Open.

1. Williams, Serena (USA) 9430
2. Sharapova, Maria (RUS) 8210
3. Halep, Simona (ROM) 6571
4. Kvitova, Petra (CZE) 6480
5. Wozniacki, Caroline 4564
6. Ivanovic, Ana (SER) 4425
7. Bouchard, Eugenie(CAN) 4365
8. Radwanska, Agnieszka (POL) 4270
9. Makarova, Ekaterina (RUS) 3285
10. Kerber, Angelique (GER) 3130
11. Williams, Venus (USA) 2790
12. Petkovic, Andrea (GER) 2735
13. Errani, Sara (ITA) 2551
14. Pennetta, Flavia (ITA) 2441
15. Safarova, Lucie (CZE)2425
16. Jankovic, Jelena (SER) 2360
17. Navarro, Carla Suarez (ESP) 2295
18. Cibulkova, Dominika (SLO) 2137
19. Cornet, Alize (FRA) 2125
20. Keys, Madison (USA) 2100

Following an entertaining fortnight in Melbourne, much has changed on the ATP World Tour, particularly the rankings that separated the top players. Once again, the ‘Big Four’ have taken their rightful place atop the rankings. Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray are once again the Top 4 players on the tour.

While Murray became the tour’s first four-time runner-up at the Australian Open without winning the title, he did manage to find his way back into the Top 4 with his performances over the fortnight. Murray fell as low as No. 12 before working his way back up with a strong finish to 2014.

1. Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 13,045
2. Federer, Roger (SUI) 9,205
3. Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 5,745
4. Murray, Andy (GBR) 5,460
5. Nishikori, Kei (JPN) 5,205
6. Raonic, Milos (CAN) 4,845
7. Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 4,660
8. Cilic, Marin (CRO) 4,105
9. Wawrinka, Stan (SUI) 4,050
10. Ferrer, David (ESP) 3,965
11. Dimitrov, Grigor (BUL) 3,465
12. Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) 2,520
13. Gulbis, Ernests (LAT) 2,420
14. Lopez, Feliciano (ESP) 2,220
15. Anderson, Kevin (RSA) 2,125
16. Bautista Agut, Roberto (ESP) 1,975
17. Robredo, Tommy (ESP) 1,845
18. Isner, John (USA) 1,765
19. Simon, Gilles (FRA) 1,730
20. Monfils, Gael (FRA) 1,725

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