PARIS: Naomi Osaka holds on to the top of the WTA rankings on Monday despite injury and elimination from the WTA event in Cincinnati.

The Japanese lost to 20th placed Sofia Kenin in the quarter-finals on Sunday due to a knee injury. Her participation at the US Open is still uncertain.

Madison Keys jumped eight spots and is ranked 10th after she won the Cincinnati title on Sunday.

Also on the rise in an otherwise unchanged top 10 is Elina Svitolina who moved up two spots to fifth, a career high for Ukrainian.

Sloane Stephens was robbed of her 10th spot in the rankings and sits at 11th after her defeat to Svetlana Kuznetsova in Cincinnati’s third round. Meanwhile, Kiki Bertens took two steps back to 7th place and Johanna Konta was demoted to 16th.

WTA rankings (as of Aug 19): 1. Naomi Osaka (Japan) 6,606 points; 2. Ashleigh Barty (Australia) 6,501; 3. Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) 6,315; 4. Simona Halep (Romania) 4,743; 5. Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) 4,492; 6. Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) 4,485; 7. Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) 4,325; 8. Serena Williams (US) 3,935; 9. Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) 3,320; 10. Madison Keys (US) 3,267; 11. Sloane Stephens (US) 3,189; 12. Anastasija Sevastova (Latvia) 3,167; 13. Belinda Bencic (Switzerland) 3,008; 14. Angelique Kerber (Germany) 2,870; 15. Bianca Andreescu (Canada) 2,837; 16. Johanna Konta (Great Britain) 2,695; 17. Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic) 2,651; 18. Qiang Wang (China) 2,593; 19. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 2,537; 20. Sofia Kenin (US) 2460.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2019