INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – The consequences of the “not being held” BNP Paribas Open still a long way from being fully felt.

But the players who took part in the two WTA-level tournaments and the WTA 125K at Indian Wells were at least able to make strides in the rankings this past week.

When that next major playing opportunity will be is unknown at this point.

It’s entirely possible that this might be the last fair and legitimate rankings list for … awhile. 

So far, next week’s 125K event in Guadalajara, Mexico has not been cancelled. And you wonder if the organizers are getting some late requests for wild cards, from players who just want a place to play.

But in the meantime, there were plenty of movers and shakers to highlight this week’s rankings report.

ON THE UPSWING

Sofia Kenin (USA): No. 5 ==========> No. 4 (The Australian Open champion moves up to a career high with a win in the inaugural edition of the Lyon tournament).

Elina Svitolina (UKR): No. 7 ==========> No. 5 (Back into the top five with a rather uneventful win at the International level in Monterrey).

Johanna Konta (GBR): No. 16 ==========> No. 14 (The Brit’s effort in Monterrey puts her back in the top 15).

Marie Bouzkova (CZE): No. 57 ==========> No. 47 (Bouzkova has mostly been in the top 60 since her breakthrough effort at the Rogers Cup in Toronto last summer. But her first career Tour final in Monterrey moves her into the top 50 for the first time, at a career high).

Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL): No. 62 ==========> No. 57 (A semifinal in Lyon – a quick trip to the desert, all for naught).

Daria Kasatkina (RUS): No. 73 ==========> No. 66 (It’s still hard to fathom that the 22-year-old Russian was in the top 10 just 16 months ago).

Arantxa Rus (NED): No. 76 ==========> No. 70 (After getting her mojo back at the lower levels in 2019, the 29-year-old from the Netherlands is making it count on the WTA side. Her career-high ranking of No. 61 came in … 2012. She’s getting close).

Misaki Doi (JPN): No. 86 ==========> No. 76 (The Indian Wells Challenger finalist makes a move).

Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU): No. 104 ==========> No. 81 (Begu has said that she has a big goal this year – to get to the Olympics. For someone turning 30, who’s been suffering a few mid-career doldrums, it might be just the tonic she needs as she wins the Indian Wells Challenger).

Camila Giorgi (ITA): No. 94 ==========> No. 89 (Giorgi had a good week in Lyon. But she had already pulled out of Indian Wells before the tournament was cancelled. But if she heads back to Italy, the way things currently stand, she might not be allowed out to compete somewhere else).

Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER): No. 136 ==========> No. 106 (Friedsam spent a long time trying to use her injury protected ranking to get herself back to where she was. After Lyon, she’s finally getting close to the top 100).

Océane Dodin (FRA): No. 130 ==========> No. 116 (Now that she’s back playing again, she’s putting a dent in a ranking that had fallen all the way outside the top 500 as recently as last June).

Leylah Annie Fernandez (CAN): No. 126 ==========> No. 118 (Another career high for the 17-year-old Canadian, who got a wild card into Indian Wells but will be unable to take advantage).

Vera Zvonareva (RUS): No. 319 ==========> No. 268 (Zvonareva is playing on a protected ranking of No. 78, which got her into Indian Wells. She reached the semifinals of the Challenger last week, but pulled out before the semifinal).

Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR): No. 404 ==========> No. 347 (The 33-year-old mom of two is also playing on a protected ranking of No. 65. And she put together a couple of wins in Monterrey. Even better, she and Canadian Sharon Fichman won the doubles title, after making the Acapulco final the previous week. Bondarenko’s doubles ranking was outside the top 1,100 at the start of 2020; it’s currently No. 128).

ON THE DOWNSWING

Bianca Andreescu (CAN): No. 4 ==========> No. 6 (Andreescu, who pulled out of Indian Wells before the whole tournament was called off because of ongoing knee concerns, drops her points from a semifinal effort in Acapulco a year ago).

Venus Williams (USA): No. 65 ==========> No. 67 (And now that she’ll have no chance to defend her 2019 Indian Wells points, she will find herself out of the top 100 in a couple of weeks).

Genie Bouchard (CAN): No. 327 ==========> No. 328 (Still idle, the Canadian received a wild card into next week’s WTA 125K in Guadalajara, Mexico. Unknown if she will play – or even if the tournament is a go. It appears she will drop another 12 spots or so after the 10 points from her first-round loss from Indian Wells a year ago drop off).

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