Begu, Flipkens make rankings gains

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- First-time WTA winners Irina-Camelia Begu and Kirsten Flipkens made strong gains Monday in the world women's tennis rankings.

Begu claimed the title at The Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan. She lost just one set in a run that included upsets of three seeded players, including No. 2-seed Urszula Radwanska. Begu jumps from 87th to No. 59 in the rankings.

Flipkens beat seeded players in the semifinals and finals in taking the championship at the Challenge Bell in Quebec City. Her 6-1, 7-5 decision over eighth-seeded Lucie Hradecka in Sunday's final moves Flipkens from 102 to No. 69 in the rankings.

The Top 10 is unchanged this week with Victoria Azarenka, who has 10,265 rankings points, leading the way for an 11th consecutive week and 30th week overall.

Maria Sharapova is second with 8,435 points and Agnieszka Radwanska sits in third at 8,295 ahead of Serena Williams (7,900) and Petra Kvitova (6,690).

Angelique Kerber, who has 5,085 points, is sixth and Sara Errani comes in at No. 7 with 4,755. Li Na has 4,526 points for eighth place and Samantha Stosur (4,200) and Marion Bartoli (3,800) complete the Top 10.

Bartoli, the top seed at the Guangzhou International Women's Open, is the only Top 10 player in action this week. No. 11-ranked Carolina Wozniacki is seeded first at the KDB Korea Open in Seoul.