WTA Rankings Update: Bencic down 5 places, Rybakina rises towards top 16

The WTA rankings have been updated before the action begins again this week and there have been some rises and some falls in the higher echelons.

Bianca Andreescu is into the top four of the rankings despite not playing since the WTA Finals in Shenzhen and being injured for some time but is only just.

Sofia Kenin has gone up two spots into the top five for the first time after making her comeback to action in Dubai losing out in the first round to another player to highlight in Elena Rybakina.

Elena Rybakina's rise continues and she is now heading towards the top sixteen with Garbine Muguruza the next hurdle in terms of her getting there. The Kazakh ace most recently reached yet another final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships losing to Simona Halep.

Halep herself added a sizeable haul of points as she chases down Ashleigh Barty for the World Number One spot. It was 470 which means she is still around 2,000 points off but gaining ground and pulling away from Karolina Pliskova.

It was Belinda Bencic though who was the big loser in terms of rankings this week. The Swiss ace has gone from fourth rapidly down to ninth after losing her latest match in Dubai.

This is despite reaching the Quarter-Finals in St Petersburg and hence moving to number four but with points coming off for the defending champion in Dubai, it meant a rapid descent.