WTA Rankings: Wimbledon Champion Garbiñe Muguruza ahead of Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina in race to World No. 1

PTI

New Delhi: Two-time world champion Petra Kvitova stunned third-ranked Garbiñe Muguruza 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 in the round of 16 of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, today. But despite the defeat, the Spaniard still stays atop in the race to World No.1 spot on the WTA rankings chart.

The last and final grand slam of the year started off with an astounding twist of tale in the women's circuit. Eight, there were eight contenders for the post of World No. 1 post in the WTA rankings chart – Current incumbent Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep, Muguruza, Elina Svitolina, Caroline Wozniacki, Johanna Konta, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Venus Williams. Apart from that was, of course, the defending champion Angelique Kerber.

But with every round unfolding, one or the other chipped off the race. Second-seeded Simona Halep was stunned in the first round of the tournament by Maria Sharapova. Pliskova, Muguruza, and Svitolina raced away deeper into the tournament which put aside the remainders on the list. Ergo, the race now stands between these three tennis players.

The reigning Wimbledon champion, despite her loss in the round of 16 battle has accumulated 6,030 points. And ergo, is now ahead of Pliskova and Svitolina in the race for the top spot. But the two, who are in the same half of the draw, do have a chance to overtake the Spaniard.

The scenario stands as -

1) The Ukranian needs to reach the semi-final round of the tournament to grab the top spot while Pliskova, last year's runners up, needs to defend her points in the Flushing meadows to hold onto her rank.

2) Being in the same half of the draw, there is a potential semi-final clash awaiting, the winner of which would take home the honour of being World No. 1 in women's tennis.

3) However, if Svitolina fails to reach the semis while Pliskova suffers a defeat ahead of the finals then Muguruza would end US Open campaign as World No.1 when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday, September 11.

Both Svitolina and Pliskova have their round of 16 matches today. The World no. 4 faces Madison Keys while the top-seeded player faces Jennifer Brady.