Osaka climbs to No.3, Azarenka returns to top-15 in WTA rankings

Naomi Osaka has climbed to the third spot on the WTA rankings after her US Open triumph, while Victoria Azarenka soared to 14th - her best rank since 2017.

Naomi Osaka beat Victoria Azarenka to win the US Open title on Sunday.

Naomi Osaka, the US Open champion, has climbed six spots to third in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday while Victoria Azarenka's career revival gathered traction as the Flushing Meadows finalist returned to the top-15.

Australian Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep of Romania continued to occupy the number one and two spots in the rankings respectively despite opting against travelling to New York for the Grand Slam.

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The 22-year-old Osaka, who beat Azarenka in a thrilling final on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title in New York and third overall, was the only player in the top-10 to gain places.

Naomi Osaka beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to win the US Open title on Sunday.

 

Osaka also reached the final of the Western and Southern Open, which was held at Flushing Meadows this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but had to withdraw against Azarenka due to an injury.

Azarenka, also a former world number one, arrived in New York having not won a match this year and ranked 59.

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But the two-time Australian Open champion went on to win the US Open warm-up event and capped her spectacular comeback by reaching her first Grand Slam final in seven years.

Victoria Azarenka holds the runner-up trophy after losing to Naomi Osaka in the women's singles final of the US Open.

 

It helped her climb to number 14 in the WTA rankings - her highest since January, 2017.

American Jennifer Brady, who lost to Osaka in the US Open semifinal, was also a big mover in the ladder and was ranked 25th, 16 place higher than her previous ranking.