This archive report was first published on 4 October 2021.
October 4, 2021 - Naomi Osaka's decision to take a break from tennis has had a significant impact on her rankings, with the Japanese star dropping out of the world's top 10 for the first time since winning the 2018 US Open title.
Osaka, a former world number one, has not played since exiting the US Open in the third round last month. Her absence has seen her fall to 12th in the WTA rankings, her lowest mark since before her first of four Grand Slam titles at Flushing Meadows three years ago.
Osaka had previously pulled out of the French Open and skipped Wimbledon this year to protect her mental health. In a recent interview, she hinted at a possible return to tennis, stating that her return would be 'probably soon' and that she 'kind of' has 'that itch again'.
Meanwhile, two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza jumped to sixth in the rankings after winning the title in Chicago last week. Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who lost to Muguruza in the final, climbed to a career-high ranking of 14th.
The current WTA top 20 rankings are as follows:
- 1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) - 9,077 points
- 2. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) - 7,115 points
- 3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) - 5,285 points
- 4. Iga Swiatek (POL) - 4,756 points
- 5. Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) - 4,668 points
- 6. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) - 4,595 points (+3)
- 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) - 4,376 points (-1)
- 8. Sofia Kenin (USA) - 4,190 points
- 9. Maria Sakkari (GRE) - 4,055 points (+1)
- 10. Belinda Bencic (SUI) - 3,835 points (+2)
- 11. Petra Kvitova (CZE) - 3,735 points
- 12. Naomi Osaka (JPN) - 3,326 points (-5)
- 13. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) - 3,255 points
- 14. Ons Jabeur (TUN) - 3,220 points (+2)
- 15. Angelique Kerber (GER) - 3,105 points (-1)
- 16. Elena Rybakina (KAZ) - 2,983 points (+1)
- 17. Simona Halep (ROM) - 2,982 points (-2)
- 18. Elise Mertens (BEL) - 2,885 points
- 19. Cori Gauff (USA) - 2,815 points
- 20. Anett Kontaveit (EST) - 2,616 points (+3)
