Aryna Sabalenka climbs three places to fourth on WTA rankings after beating Ashleigh Barty in Madrid Open final

Paris: Aryna Sabalenka’s victory over world number one Ashleigh Barty in the Madrid Open final at the weekend saw the Belarusian climb three places to fourth in the new WTA rankings released on Monday. It was Sabalenka’s 10th career title but her first on clay and, three weeks before the French Open, underlined the 23-year-old’s improvement on the surface. Sabalenka was beaten by Barty in the final in Stuttgart last month but exacted revenge at the Caja Magica, a storming 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 victory clinching the biggest title of her career. “Something changed in my mind this year,” said Sabalenka after the final. “I’m not really scared of this surface any more.” Petra Kvitova, who reached the quarter-finals in Madrid, moves up two places to 10 while Spaniard Paula Badosa’s trip to the semi-finals saw her climb 20 places to number 42. WTA rankings as of 10 May: 1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 10,090 pts 2. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,650 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 6,520 4. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 6,195 (+3) 5. Sofia Kenin (USA) 5,905 (-1) 6. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,835 (-1) 7. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 5,265 (-1) 8. Serena Williams (USA) 4,850 9. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 4,660 10. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,160 (+2) 11. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 4,140 12. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 4,110 (+1) 13. Jennifer Brady (USA) 3,830 (+1) 14. Elise Mertens (BEL) 3,685 (+2) 15. Iga Swiatek (POL) 3,555 (+2) 16. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 3,526 (-1) 17. Kiki Bertens (NED) 3,470 (-7) 18. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,236 19. Maria Sakkari (GRE) 3,130 20. Karolina Muchova (CZE) 2,816 … 42. Paula Badosa (ESP) 1,626 (+20)