Bartoli returns to women's tennis Top 10

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Marion Bartoli returned to the women's tennis Top 10 after her victory at the HP Japan Women's Open Tennis tournament.

Bartoli's rise from 11th to No. 9 allows her to match a career-high first reached four years ago. She won the Japan Open in Osaka with a 6-3, 6-1 decision over world No. 6 Samantha Stosur.

Her move up shoves Andrea Petkovic from ninth to 10th and Kim Clijsters down one to 11th. Clijsters was No. 1 in the world in February after she won the Australian Open. But she's appeared in just three tournaments since March as her play has been limited by a series of injuries.

The rest of the Top 10 remains the same but the rankings point total differences aren't great, suggesting there could be changes before the end of the year.

Caroline Wozniacki, with 8,005 points, is No. 1 for a 35th consecutive week. Maria Sharapova (6,370) is second with Victoria Azarenka (6,190) in third. Petra Kvitova is fourth with 5,970 after winning the title Sunday in Linz, Austria.

Vera Zvonareva (5,755) is fifth ahead of Stosur (5,585). Li Na has 5,425 points for seventh and Agnieszka Radwanska (4,940) is eighth with Bartoli (4,610) and Petkovic (4,580) rounding out the Top 10. Clijsters has 4,501 points.

Azarenka is the top seed at the Luxembourg Open this week while the Kremlin Cup in Moscow features Top 10 players Zvonareva, Radwanska and Bartoli.