Wozniacki jumps to 2nd in WTA rankings

PARIS: Caroline Wozniacki climbed to number two in the WTA rankings published on Monday following a run to the final in Auckland last week.

It is the 27-year-old’s highest ranking in almost six years, when she lost the number one spot following a poor start to 2012. Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina moved up to fourth on the back of victory in Brisbane while German Julia Georges, who stunned Wozniacki in the Auckland final, climbed two places to 12th. Romania’s Simona Halep remains on top of the rankings ahead of the start of the Australian Open in Melbourne next week.

Rankings as of January 8:

1. Simona Halep (ROM) 6,425pts

2. C Wozniacki (DEN) 6,095 (+1)

3. G Muguruza (ESP) 6,005 (-1)

4. E Svitolina (UKR) 5,785 (+2)

5. Venus Williams (USA) 5,567

6. K Pliskova (CZE) 5,445 (-2)

7. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 4,901

8. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 4,385

9. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,600

10. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 3,258

11. K Mladenovic (FRA) 2,935

12. Julia Georges (GER) 2,825 (+2)

13. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,802

14. S Kuznetsova (RUS) 2,757 (-2)

15. A Sevastova (LAT) 2,600 (+1)

16. A Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2,485 (-1)

17. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2,220 (+1)

18. Madison Keys (USA) 2,214 (+1)

19. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 2,195 (-2)

20. M Rybarikova (SVK) 2,141.