Sharapova shoots up rankings after Tianjin win

PARIS: Maria Sharapova has shot up the women’s world rankings following her victory in Tianjin on Sunday, rising 29 places to 57th in the latest WTA list. The 30-year-old former world number one triumphed 7-5, 7-6 (10/8) against teenager Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to claim her first title since serving a 15-month doping ban. Sharapova will hope to build on that victory this week in Moscow after being handed a wildcard for the Kremlin Cup. The top 10 remains unchanged, with Romania’s Simona Halep on top ahead of Spain’s Garbine Muguruza. Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova climbs three places to 18th after beating Daria Gavrilova in the Hong Kong Open final at the weekend. Czech Barbora Strycova, winner of her second WTA Tour title in Linz on Sunday, climbs just one place to 25th. — AFP WTA Top 20 1. Simona Halep (ROU) 6,175 points 2. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 6,135 3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,605 4. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,465 5. Venus Williams (USA) 4,642 6. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 4,540 7. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 4,510 8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 3,950 9. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 3,860 10. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,795 11. Angelique Kerber (GER) 3,122 (+1) 12. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 3,110 (-1) 13. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 2,910 14. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 2,819 (+1) 15. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,722 (+1) 16. Madison Keys (USA) 2,713 (-2) 17. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 2,532 18. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2,425 (+3) 19. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 2,340 (-1) 20. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2,300 (-1)