PARIS, Feb 18: Former world No 1 Amelie Mauresmo of France has dropped out of the top 20 for the first time in nine years in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday.

Mauresmo drops three places to 22nd (having 1123 points) as Svetlana Kuznetsova overtook Ana Ivanovic to regain the second position behind Justine Henin.

Mauresmo has not been outside the top 20 since her runner-up spot in the Australian Open in 1999.

WTA world rankings (previous week’s ranking in brackets):

1. (1) Justine Henin (Belgium) 6830 points; 2. (3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 3760; 3. (2) Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 3758; 4. (4) Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 3695; 5. (5) Maria Sharapova (Russia) 3061; 6. (7) Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) 2835; 7. (6) Venus Williams (US) 2720; 8. (8) Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 2687; 9. (9) Marion Bartoli (France) 2198; 10. (10) Serena Williams (US) 2022; 11. (11) Elena Dementieva (Russia) 1915; 12. (13) Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 1766; 13. (12) Tatiana Golovin (France) 1693; 14. (16) Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) 1632; 15. (15) Dinara Safina (Russia) 1602; 16. (14) Nadia Petrova (Russia) 1569; 17. (17) Shahar Peer (Israel) 1480; 18. (18) Agnes Szavay (Hungary) 1478; 19. (20) Sybille Bammer (Austria) 1286; 20. (21) Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) 1257.—Agencies