Advertisement

Aussie tennis star Ash Barty claims world No. 1

By Alex Butler
Australian Ashleigh Barty is the No. 1 women's player in the world after winning the Miami Open, French Open and Birmingham Classic in 2019. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI
Australian Ashleigh Barty is the No. 1 women's player in the world after winning the Miami Open, French Open and Birmingham Classic in 2019. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo

June 24 (UPI) -- Australian tennis star Ashleigh "Ash" Barty claimed the top spot in the Women's Tennis Association's world rankings released Monday.

Barty jumped Japan's Naomi Osaka, who held the No. 1 spot since Jan. 28. The 23-year-old Aussie entered the year with the No. 15 world ranking. Barty moved inside the top-10 on April 1 (No. 9) before leaping to No. 2 on June 10 following her 2019 French Open title.

Advertisement

She went on to win the 2019 Birmingham Classic with a straight sets victory over German Julia Gorges in the final Sunday in the United Kingdom.

Osaka, 21, ended the 2018 season ranked No. 5 in the world. She jumped to No. 1 after winning the 2019 Australian Open. She was upset in the round of 32 at the Miami Open and at the French Open. Osaka lost in the round of 16 at the Birmingham Classic and is now ranked No. 2 in the world.

Karolina Pliskova (No. 3) and Kiki Bertens (No. 4) kept their spots in the rankings. Angelique Kerber (No. 5) and Petra Kvitova (No. 6) swapped spots. Simona Halep (No. 7) and Elina Svitolina (No. 8) also swapped spots in the WTA rankings.

Advertisement

American Sloane Stephens (No. 9) and Belarus star Aryna Sabalenka (No. 10) also held onto their rankings. Serena Williams is No. 11 in the world. Caroline Wozniacki is No. 14 in the rankings. American Madison Keys holds the No. 17 spot in the WTA rankings.

Venus Williams is also back in the top-50, jumping from No. 55 to No. 44.

Barty -- who withdrew from this week's Nature Valley International due to an arm injury -- posted an Instagram photo Sunday night with the simple caption "#1."

"To be honest, I'm a little bit speechless. I'm not really sure what's going on," Barty told the WTA.

"Just to be where we are now, no, no chance it's sunk in yet. But we've enjoyed every minute. It's just been the most incredible journey and the most incredible career."

Barty is just the second Australian woman to claim the top spot in the WTA rankings, following Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1983).

Latest Headlines