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Although we tend to witness WTA rankings updates each week, there are only a handful of weeks that hold significant importance for Grand Slams. On that note, the new rankings that were released on June 19th display one of such weeks. I say this because players can greatly impact the draw that they receive for upcoming Grand Slams if they are able to crank up their ranking before the draw is made. However, as true as this is, there isn’t always the same number of tournaments that influence the rankings ahead of the majors.
In fact, for this previous WTA rankings run, there were three tournaments held that impacted the shift in rankings. Specifically, the three tournaments completed between June 12th and June 18th were the Libema Open (250), Rothesay Open (250), and the BBVA Open Internacional De Valencia (125). Both of the 250 events were played on grass, which aligns with this part of the season. Yet the 125-level tournament was in fact a clay court tournament.
Of course, the higher-ranked WTA players competed in the grass-court 250 events, yet there have been significant rankings changes linked to all three tournaments. Anyway, you’re no doubt hoping to find out which players have moved where. So let me start to run through the most significant WTA rankings updates for the June 19th adjustments.
WTA Rankings Updates – Week Commencing June 19th
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Keeping the focus on the top 100, this week has displayed some quite staggering shifts for a few individuals. Of course, the better/worse a player performed last week, the more significant the movement has been. And as I aim to do with each of the weekly WTA rankings updates, I have highlighted the biggest gainers and the biggest fallers below. Check out the specifics for each of these respective individuals right here.
The Week’s Biggest Climbers – Cornet, Sherif, and Boulter
Of the many players that have moved up the rankings this week, there are three players that have enjoyed bigger gains than others. As you can see, these three players include Boulter, Sherif, and Cornet. However, of these three players, it is Britain’s Katie Boulter that has blown the other two out of the water. Boulter captured the title at the Nottingham Open last week, and in producing such a run, she has catapulted up the WTA rankings. To be specific, Boulter has risen by an unbelievable 49 places as a result of winning the 250 event in Nottingham.
This takes her to 77 in the rankings, and she has secured a wildcard into the main draw of Wimbledon 2023 – a tremendous achievement. As for the other two players, their respective rankings increases haven’t been quite as dramatic, although they have still been commendable. Out of the two, it is Alize Cornet that has climbed by the most spots, jumping up the rankings ladder by 12 positions. This takes her to number 60 in the WTA rankings, and this climb is a direct result of her semi-final appearance in Nottingham.
Of course, this leaves Mayar Sherif who comes in 3rd place for the week’s biggest climbers. The Egyptian has jumped to number 31 in the world as of the most recent update, displaying a 9-place rise from the previous week. But unlike the other two, Sherif competed in the clay court event in Spain, capturing the title in impressive fashion.
The Week’s Biggest Fallers – Errani and Parry
It goes without saying that all of the WTA players inside the top 100 would prefer to find themselves in the green rather than the red. Yet sadly, that’s just not how the WTA rankings work. And on that note, there are two players that have suffered more than anybody else in the rankings this week. As you can see, the two players I am referencing here are Parry and Errani. But who takes the unwanted title as the week’s biggest faller? The answer is Sara Errani.
Errani chose to stick with the red clay last week and competed in the 125 event in Valencia. However, having only reached the quarter-final, she actually lost points due to the 12-month rolling rule of the WTA tour. As a result, she has slid down the rankings by 13 positions, reaching a fresh ranking of 82 in the world. This is obviously not the direction she would hope to be moving in with Wimbledon 2023 approaching.
As for the second biggest faller of the week, we have Diane Parry. This 20-year-old French player has jumped all over the place in recent weeks regarding the WTA rankings, showing that her form has been inconsistent. As for her activity over the previous week, Parry actually dropped down to the ITF level in order to compete. Unfortunately, she lost in the round of 16 to a player ranked 398 in the world, resulting in a loss of points and a tumble of 10 spots to number 94.
Top Rankings Stories – Katie Boulter Surges by 49 Places
Don’t the British public just love it when a home-grown player manages to capture a title within the UK? Of course, the answer is a resounding yes. The problem is that it doesn’t happen all that often, which is what makes Katie Boulter’s run to the title in Nottingham last week extra special. To give you some perspective on how special exactly, Boulter came into the event as the world number 126. Yet having won the tournament, she is now number 77 in the WTA rankings – a personal best.
Not only that, but this is the very first WTA title that Katie Boulter has won in her career. She has managed to win a total of seven ITF titles before this, yet managing to grab a tournament win at the WTA level has eluded her until last week. And if you look at the results she produced to secure the title, things get even more impressive. Boulter managed to take out five British players en route to the tournament win, which is never easy to do.
But best of all, she didn’t even lose a single set on this journey – quite a phenomenal achievement.
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