The summer hardcourt swing features consecutive WTA 1000 tournaments in Canada – this year staged in Montreal – and Cincinnati. Jessica Pegula (Montreal) and Coco Gauff (Cincinnati) took home the titles, which was the first time Americans were back-to-back victors at the tournaments since the Cincinnati event was reintroduced to the Tour in 2004.
With this week’s rankings used to determine the US Open seedings, here is a look at the current Top 8: No.1 Iga Swiatek, No.2 Aryna Sabalenka, No.3 Jessica Pegula, No.4 Elena Rybakina, No.5 Ons Jabeur, No.6 Coco Gauff, No.7 Caroline Garcia and No.8 Maria Sakkari.
Top 10 debut for Muchova on her birthday
Karolina Muchova earned her Top 10 debut this week following her finalist run at Cincinnati. After starting the year ranked outside the Top 150, today she climbs seven spots from No.17 to No.10.
Muchova, who celebrates her 27th birthday today, becomes the fourth player to make their Top 10 debut this year, joining Elena Rybakina (January 30), Beatriz Haddad Maia (June 12) and Marketa Vondrousova (July 17).
Shot of the Month: Muchova's brilliant tweener in Warsaw
Muchova has enjoyed a breakout season in 2023. In addition to Cincinnati, Muchova's 2023 season so far has seen her reach her maiden Grand Slam singles final at Roland Garros and the quarterfinals at WTA 1000 events at the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Other notable ranking movement this week:
Marketa Vondrousova advanced to the quarterfinals in Cincinnati, helping her reach a new career-high ranking of No.9. Vondrousova becomes the top-ranked Czech woman ahead of No.10 Muchova, No.11 Petra Kvitova and No.12 Barbora Krejcikova.
Wimbledon champ Vondrousova sets her sights on WTA Finals
Tatjana Maria won the title at the WTA 125 tournament staged in Barranquilla, Colombia. Maria, who has won two Tour-level singles titles in Colombia at Bogota in 2022 and 2023, returns to the Top 50, moving from No.58 to No.49.
Former World No.39 Fiona Ferro finished as runner-up in Barranquilla. She entered the tournament ranked No.252 and climbs 62 spots to No.190 following her success at the WTA 125 tournament.
Shining bright in the night ✨@TaylorTownsend x @TheRealAParks #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/zBARDI0iRn
— wta (@WTA) August 20, 2023
The doubles team of Taylor Townsend and Alycia Parks teamed up for the first time in Cincinnati and made a title run, defeating four of the Top 5 seeds. As a result, Townsend equals her career-high doubles ranking, moving to No.5, while Parks reaches a career-high doubles ranking at No.29, up 13 spots from the previous week.
Champions Corner: Parks and Townsend's dreams come true in Cincinnati
Australian Storm Hunter also reached a career-high doubles ranking, checking in at No.3 this week after reaching the Cincinnati semifinals alongside her partner Elise Mertens.
A qualifier in Cincinnati, Cristina Bucsa defeated World No.14 Belinda Bencic in the first round of the main draw before falling to Jasmine Paolini in the second round. Bucsa’s ranking rose 14 spots as a result, moving from No.84 to No.70, the largest jump among this week’s Top 100.