Rankings update: Sakkari makes Top 10 debut, Krejcikova returns to No.1 in doubles

Here are the most notable movers in this week's rankings following two events, in Columbus Ohio and Ostrava. 

Sakkari makes Top 10 debut

By reaching the final in Ostrava, a WTA 500-level tournament, Maria Sakkari

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"People don't realize how big it is for someone who at the age of 26 - not the age of 20 - cracks into the Top 10," Sakkari said in Ostrava. "When no one believed I could do it, myself and the people around me really believed in me.

"I don't want to sound like I achieved my goal, but it's a big step for my career and for every tennis player. Of course I see myself as higher, but we'll take it step-by-step."

After starting the year ranked No.22, Sakkari has advanced to five semifinals this year, including her first Grand Slam final four appearances, at Roland Garros and the US Open.

"I really felt I was ready to [make the Top 10] after the French. Then after playing semis at the US Open I was 100 percent sure I deserved to be there because let's be honest, not too many players made two semifinals at the Slams and had the results that I'm having.

"I don't want to sound cocky, but that's the reality. That's something I say so that I can hear it at the same time and give myself the power to continue."

Sakkari replaces Petra Kvitova in this week’s Top 10. Despite advancing to the semifinals in Ostrava, Kvitova drops from No.10 to No.11 after her 350 semifinal points from 2019 Wuhan dropped off this week.

Krejcikova back at top

The shuffle atop the WTA doubles rankings continues this week. With Elise Mertens

View Profile dropping 585 points from 2019 Wuhan, she falls from No.1 to No.3, opening the door for Krejcikova’s return to No.1. In addition, Katerina Siniakova

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Six different players have held the doubles No.1 ranking this year. Hsieh Su-Wei started the year at No.1. She has been joined by Aryna Sabalenka

View Profile , Elise Mertens

View Profile , Kristina Mladenovic

View Profile , Mertens and Krejcikova. In each of the past four weeks, the No.1 ranking has changed hands going from Mertens, to Hsieh, back to Mertens and now currently residing with Krejcikova.  

This week marks the 17th career week at No.1 for Krejcikova.

Swiatek jumps to No.4

The top seed in Ostrava last week, Iga Swiatek

View Profile advanced to the semifinals with wins against Yulia Putintseva

View Profile and Elena Rybakina

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Kontaveit hot streak continues

Anett Kontaveit captured her second title of the 2021 season. Last week in Ostrava, she knocked off three of the Top 4 seeds – No.3 seed Belinda Bencic

View Profile in the quarterfinals, No.2 seed Petra Kvitova in the semifinals and No.4 seed Maria Sakkari

View Profile in the championship match. Kontaveit collected 470 ranking points and climbed seven spots moving from No.30 to No.23.

Read more: Champions Corner: How Kontaveit rediscovered her joy and got back on track

Kontaveit has won 12 of her past 13 matches, which includes a title in Cleveland, a WTA 250 tournament staged before the US Open, and a third-round appearance at the US Open before capturing the title in Ostrava.

WTA 125 title gives Parrizas Diaz a Boost

Competing as the No.2 seed in last week’s WTA 125 tournament in Columbus, Ohio, Nuria Parrizas Diaz

View Profile captured the singles title and advanced to the doubles final. The Spaniard Parrizas Diaz climbed to No.73 in this week’s rankings, a 13-spot improvement. She also reaches a career-best doubles ranking of No.351.

For Parrizas Diaz, it marks her second WTA 125 tournament singles title of 2021. She also won Bastad in July and has posted a WTA-leading 10 match wins (10-2 record) across four WTA 125 level events she has played this year.

Other notable rankings movements

--Hungary’s Anna Bondar

View Profile jumped 33 spots from No.179 to No.146 after winning an ITF title in Wiesbaden, Germany, marking the biggest jump in this week’s Top 200.

-- Anastasia Potapova

View Profile improved her ranking by 12 spots, moving from No.92 to No.80 by reaching the main draw in Ostrava via qualifying. She advanced to the second round of the main draw with a win against Caroline Garcia

View Profile before losing to Kvitova.