–
In one of these sort of in-between weeks, a bridge between the Sunshine Double and the long clay-court season, there are opportunities.
And with Yuliia Starodubsteva in Charleston and Panna Udvardy in Bógota in their first career WTA Finals, there was much at stake.
But it was 32-year-old Jessica Pegula who defended her title in Charleston, the first to repeat there since Serena Williams in 2012-13.
There are no changes in the top 10; even if Pegula didn’t have the title to defend in Charleston and they were all added points, it still would have been only halfway to catching Iga Swiatek.
Sara Bejlek (CZE): No. 40 ===========> No. 34
(Bejlek made the third round in Charleston. But if she can squeeze up a little more – and there’s not much between them – and get seeded at Roland Garros, she could make a run).
McCartney Kessler (USA): No. 53 ===========> No. 48
(Kessler, whose career high is No. 30, has had a quiet year and has missed some tournaments. But she makes the quarterfinals in Charleston and is back in the top 50).
Yuliia Starodubtseva (UKR): No. 88 ===========> No. 53
(The 26-year-old Ukrainian was the last into the main draw in Charleston and went all the way to the final, where she didn’t showcase her best tennis. Still, she’s at a career high and less than 25 points out of the top 50).
Panna Udvardy (HUN): No. 92 ===========> No. 71
(The 27-year-old was one of many players in their first career WTA or ATP final this week, as she got to the Sunday in Bógota. She’s at a new career high).
Emiliana Arango (COL): No. 106 ===========> No. 86
(Arango got to No. 46 last October. She had fallen out of the top 100, but gets back in with her semifinal effort in Bógota).
Paula Badosa (ESP): No. 113 ===========> No. 102
(Badosa, who has a wild card into Linz this week, at last made a positive move in th rankings by getting to the third round. She’s three points out of the top 100 and you would think, if she does anything in Linz, she can get straight into Roland Garros).
Donna Vekic (CRO): No. 115 ===========> No. 104
(Vekic, a former No. 17, had to qualify in Charleson, which she did. And she won a round. But she’s up against it to get straight into Roland Garros, as she’s playing the qualifying in Linz).
Bianca Andreescu (CAN): No. 140===========> No. 130
(Baby steps for Andreescu, who gains 10 spots by winning one round in Charleston – her first WTA-level match win of the season).
Jazmin Ortenzi (ARG): No. 206 ===========> No. 164
(Already at a career high last week, the 24-year-old from Argentina moves into the top 200 for the first time by going from the qualifying to the semifinals in Bógota).
Jeline Vandromme (BEL): No. 260 ===========> No. 222
(The 18-year-old from Belgium wins the ITF in Nantese, and moves to a new career high).
Akasha Urhobo (USA): No. 273 ===========> No. 233
(The 19-year-old American, who posted a win over Andreescu early in the season on the ITF circuit, qualified and won a round in Charleston to move to a new career high).
–
–
Sara Bejlek (CZE) (No. 34)
Yuliia Stardubtseva (UKR) (No. 53)
Panna Udvardy (HUN) (No. 71)
Jazmin Ortenzi (ARG) (No. 164)
Mary Stoiana (USA) (No. 167)
Jelin Vandromme (BEL) (No. 222)
–
–
Zheng Qinwen (CHN): No. 30 ===========> No. 37
(Zheng didn’t play last week, but drops her points from making the Carleston quarterfinals a year ago. She’s just coming back from a long injury layoff. But unless she does some things in the coming weeks, she’ll be looking at being unseeded in Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros which, in the case of the first two events, means she won’t get a first-round bye).
Sofia Kenin (USA): No. 47===========> No. 66
(Kenin was a finalist in Charleston last year, so losing in the third round meant dropping a lot of points. She’s out of the top 50, at her lowest ranking since February, 2025 after being around No. 30 for the better part of the last year).
Camila Osorio (COL): No. 54 ===========> No. 81
(Osorio was the champion at home in Bogotá last year. But she lost in the second round this year, so her ranking takes a hit).
Dalma Galfi (HUN): No. 84 ===========> No. 103
(The loss to Bianca Andreescu in Charleston was a tough one, as she drops out of the top 100 because she made the final of a WTA 125 last year. She was close to her career high coming in. But she has two WTA 125 titles (Oeiras, Catalonia) to defend in the next three weeks. So it’s going to be a tough road).
Darja Semenistaja (LAT): No. 98 ===========> No. 112
(After winning the WTA 125 in La Bisbal D’Emporda last year, Semenistaja loses in the quarterfinals in Bógotoa and takes a hit).
Lilli Tagger (AUT): No. 108 ===========> No. 117
(Tagger drops from her career high last week by dropping points from an ITF event while being idle. She’s playing her home-country event in Linz this week, and is playing doubles with brand-new Austrian Anastasia Potapova).
Danielle Collins (USA): No. 120 ===========> No. 132
(Collins is on the desk for Tennis Channel these days, and drops her points from a quarterfinal in Charleston last year. She has more points from Rom and Strasbourg to defend in the coming weeks, but there’s been no news of her returning to action.
About Post Author
