WTA Rankings Report – Oct. 26, 2020

The penultimate event on the WTA Tour (barring any unforeseen additions) was a Premier-level event in Ostrava with a very good field.

And in the end, it was No. 3 seed Aryna Sabalenka who ran the table.

The 22-year-old Belarussian survived being down a set and two breaks in back-to-back matches and overcame an under-the-weather Victoria Azarenka in the final to win the singles title.

Then, she teamed up with Elise Mertens to take the doubles trophy as well.

It was a great week for her. And if she plays the Linz tournament in two weeks and puts up a good result, she could finish the 2020 season in the top 10.

ATP Rankings Report – Oct. 26, 2020

ON THE UPSWING

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR): No. 12 ===========> No. 11

Victoria Azarenka (BLR): No. 14 ===========> No. 13

Jennifer Brady (USA): No. 26 ===========> No. 24 (New career high for the American, who is going to stick it out in Europe for the off-season. It worked beautifully last year; this year, it’s also by necessity).

Coco Gauff (USA): No. 55 ===========> No. 48 (As she hits a new career high after qualifying and winning a round in Ostava, the 16-year-old gets a great break; the 280 points she earned by going from the qualies to the title in Linz a year ago will not drop off. Without them, she would be about No. 65).

Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP): No. 73 ===========> No. 65 (One off her career best after qualifying, and surviving – we hope – the shock of the crazy Sabalenka comeback against her in the Ostrava quarterfinals).

All the way back for Aryna Sabalenka in Ostrava

Daria Kataskina (RUS): No. 75 ===========> No. 70 (So far away from her brief former top-10 self, but still hanging in there).

Barbora Krejcikova (CZE): No. 85 ===========> No. 74 (A low-key jump to a career high in singles at age 24. Additional focus in 2020 (curtailed by the shutdown) has yielded dividends for one of the best doubles players in the world).

Marta Kostyuk (UKR): No. 113 ===========> No. 104 (At 18, Kostyuk used to be talked about in the same tones as people now reserve for Iga Swiatek. Making the Macon ITF final brings her to a career high, but still a lot of upside).

Kaia Kanepi (EST): No. 109 ===========> No. 105 (The former world No. 15, now 35, is playing a series of … $25K events in Europe. She won Cherbourg two weeks ago).

Sara Errani (ITA): No. 137 ===========> No. 131 (it’s been a fascinating few weeks for the former No. 5, who is forging ahead despite the service yips that have plagued her for more than a year).

Cici Bellis (USA): No. 173 ===========> No. 141 (Winning in Macon helps the former No. 35 boost her ranking. But after so many surgeries and worries about her career, the pandemic has put a big dent in her comeback plans for 2020. Still, she began the season at No. 855).

Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA): No. 378 ===========> No. 359 (Starting back after a doping suspension, she wins an ITF in Funchai. Haddad Maia was at No. 1339 when tennis started up again in August).