PARIS, June 26 ― Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova moved up to 12th in the WTA rankings released today as she made a winning comeback from a knife attack by lifting the Birmingham title.
The 27-year-old Czech was playing just her second tournament since recovering from severe injuries to her left playing hand suffered while fighting off a knife-wielding burglar at her home in December.
Kvitova — who hit a career-high number two ranking in October 2011 — will be bidding to add to her two Wimbledon titles in 2011 and 2014 starting on July 3.
Birmingham runner-up Ashleigh Barty of Australia moved up 23 places to 54th in the rankings dominated by Germany’s Angelique Kerber ahead of Romanian Simona Halep and Czech Karolina Pliskova. ― AFP
Rankings on June 26:
1. Angelique Kerber (GER) 6.965 pts
2. Simona Halep (ROM) 6.850
3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6.386
4. Serena Williams (USA) 4.810
5. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4.765
6. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 4.345 (+2)
7. Johanna Konta (GBR) 4.325
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 4.310 (+1)
9. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 4.010 (-3)
10. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 3.985
11. Venus Williams (USA) 3.941
12. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 3.135 (+4)
13. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 3.095 (-1)
14. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 3.080 (-1)
15. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 3.060 (-1)
16. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2.777 (-1)
17. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2.580
18. Madison Keys (USA) 2.523
19. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2.325
20. Timea Bacsinsky (SUI) 1.873
Selected:
54. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 1.060 (+23)