Kuznetsova drops two spots in rankings

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Dinara Safina continues to hold the No. 1 women's ranking but countrywoman Svetlana Kuznetsova slipped two places in the Top Ten this week.

Safina's lead over second-ranked Serena Williams narrowed to 533 points with No. 3 Venus Williams another 1,162 points behind her sister to control the top of the rankings.

Kuznetsova, one of three Russians in the Top 10, is 8-6 since beating Safina in the finals at French Open and dropped two spots in rankings released Monday, going from fourth to sixth. That allowed Elena Dementieva to return to the No. 4 ranking and Caroline Wozniacki to move from sixth to a career-best No. 5

After Kuznetsova, the Top 10 rankings remained the same with Vera Zvonareva at No. 7 just ahead of Jelena Jankovic and Victoria Azarenka in ninth and Flavia Pennetta No. 10.

This week's WTA schedule has a pair of $220,000 tournaments, but next week the tour has a $2 million event in Japan and the following week the $4.5 million China Open in Beijing, the results of which could bring changes among the top rankings.