By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday September 25, 2023
A lighter than expected draw at Guadalajara created opportunities for many players to make significant jumps up the ranking table. With just 13 of the Top 30 in the draw, a few lesser-known players made the most of their chances and rose significantly.
Let’s have a look at this week’s rankings moving and shakers:
Kenin Back in Top 50, Dolehide Joins Her
Welcome to the Top-50 Caroline Dolehide – and welcome back, Sofia Kenin!
Dolehide, who defeated Kenin to reach her maiden WTA final in Guadalajara, is this week’s biggest mover. She jumps 69 spots from 11 to 42 thanks to her trip to the final in Mexico, where she became the second lowest-ranked 1000-level finalist in WTA history (since the format began in 2009).
The American, 25, had never ranked higher than 99 before last week. Now she’s sitting pretty, on the cusp of grabbing a seed at next year’s Australian Open. Just wow.
As for Kenin, she jumps to 31 after winning eight of ten matches across San Diego and Gaudalajara. The 24-year-old rises 22 spots thanks to her semifinal in Mexico, and enters the Top-50 for the first time since January of 2022.
Wang Xiyu +30 to 58
On the heels of her maiden WTA title in Guangzhou, Chinese southpaw Wang Xiyu jumps 30 spot to No.58 – she is 10 spots shy of her career-high ranking.
Wang is the 11th WTA player to claim a maiden title in 2023.
Sakkari +3 to No.6, Garcia Back in Top 10
On the heels of her emotional victory in Gaudalajara, Maria Sakkari gets some upward traction in the rankings, rising three spots to No.6. The former World No.3, who won her maiden 1000-level title and become the first Greek woman to do so, is up to No.9 in the WTA’s race to the year-end Championships in Cancun as well.
Caroline Garcia, who fell to Sakkari in the semis, rises to No.10.
Townsend returns to Top 100
27-year-old Taylor Townsend is back in the Top 100 for the first time since returning to the tour as a mother in 2022. The American, a former World No.61, reached the round of 16 at Guadalajara. She gave birth to her baby boy Ayden Aubrey in March of 2021, and had not held a Top 100 ranking since August of 2020.
She made her official return to the pro game in April of 2022, and was outside of the Top-100 in that same month.