WTA Rankings Update: Jessica Pegula closing in on US Number 1 after Dubai triumph, new career highs for Jovic, Eala and Tjen

The WTA Rankings have been updated after the latest week and ahead of another one which will see ATX Open in Austin take place on the run in towards Indian Wells and Miami.

Jessica Pegula was crowned the champion in Dubai winning the final this past weekend seeing off Elina Svitolina and while she did not rise in this weeks rankings, she was one of the big winners.

Pegula now sits in 5th and is only just behind Coco Gauff in the race to become American No.1. Pegula who has just turned 32 in the ultimate birthday present also helps to reduce some of the blow that her not defending certain tournaments she won last year would've had otherwise.

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek also got away with not playing this past week. Sabalenka in particular was always ok in this regard as she was always set to remain at the top as her lead was over 3,000 points at the start of the tournament. But challengers did have the potential to strip that way.

Swiatek in second was under pressure from Elena Rybakina in particular who had the opportunity to overtake her with a deep run at the event, but Swiatek's lead has instead grown. Sabalenka now holds a 3,217 lead over Swiatek while Swiatek is now 400 points ahead of Rybakina when it looked very likely that Swiatek would lose that spot only just last week.

Rybakina's lead over Gauff has also been reduced to 450 points after the American reached the semi-final before losing against Elina Svitolina. Gauff's lead over Pegula is now an issue as Pegula winning saw her erase and then add to her tally. Pegula added 880 points as she was defending 120 from 2025. Leaving her just 35 points adrift of Gauff and as of time of writing, she does intend to play in Austin.

This makes it all the more interesting as she could go into Indian Wells and Miami as the top American. Mirra Andreeva losing in Dubai early and being defending champion means she swapped places with Jasmine Paolini.

Karolina Muchova winning Qatar did come at a tiny price as she went down to World No.13 as a result of withdrawing from Dubai. While others to rise though included Iva Jovic who reached the third round. She continues her success reaching World No.18.

Alexandra Eala reached the Quarter-Finals of a WTA 1000 for the first time beating Paolini before losing to Gauff and she is now World No.31 after starting the week World No.47. Janice Tjen also reached the Last 16 and continues to sit in that cluster of players really making a name for herself. She is also up 10 spots to World No.36 after her run.

Antonia Ruzic who beat Raducanu in the first round and lost in the Quarter-Finals is also up to a career best of World No.51, up 16 spots. While for former Grand Slam champions and top names, it was more pain.

Sofia Kenin is down 14 spots after an early exit to World No.44 and given a good run in Charleston last year could drop even more. Marketa Vondrousova continues her frustrating time of it and is down eight spots to just below Kenin. While Paula Badosa who retired from her second round is down 15 spots to World No.85.

(as per livetennis.eu)