Zvonareva moves to fifth in tennis ratings

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 23 (UPI) -- BNP Paribas Open champion Vera Zvonareva used the tournament win to improve one spot to fifth in the latest women's world tennis rankings.

Zvonareva defeated Ana Ivanovic 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 for her ninth career WTA title. The decision also moved her from sixth to fifth in the world ratings. It is the second time she's been ranked No. 5, her career best.

The very top of the rankings list stayed the same this week, with Serena Williams, who has been ranked first since Feb. 2, keeping the top spot. Dinara Safina is close behind, however, at No. 2. There is a drop-off in rankings points to third-ranked Jelena Jankovic, who is just ahead of No. 4 Elena Dementieva.

Zvonareva pushed Venus Williams down one spot to sixth and Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova kept their No. 7, No. 8 and No. 9 rankings.

Victoria Azarenka moved into 10th -- very close behind Petrova -- from 11th, a move that knocked Agnieszka Radwanska from 10th to 11th.