• A happy Belinda Bencic kisses her trophy after winning the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title. AP Photo
    A happy Belinda Bencic kisses her trophy after winning the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title. AP Photo
  • Bencic celebrates after clinching her win over Petra Kvitova. Reuters
    Bencic celebrates after clinching her win over Petra Kvitova. Reuters
  • There was no second title in Dubai for Kvitova as the 2013 champion fell short. Reuters
    There was no second title in Dubai for Kvitova as the 2013 champion fell short. Reuters
  • Belinda Bencic poses with her trophy after winning the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. EPA
    Belinda Bencic poses with her trophy after winning the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. EPA
  • Bencic celebrates her biggest triumph since the summer of 2015. EPA
    Bencic celebrates her biggest triumph since the summer of 2015. EPA
  • Bencic plays a shot from the back of the court. Reuters
    Bencic plays a shot from the back of the court. Reuters
  • Bencic soaks in the achievement of beating four top-10 players in four days to claim the title. Reuters
    Bencic soaks in the achievement of beating four top-10 players in four days to claim the title. Reuters
  • Bencic and Kvitova pose with their respective trophies. Getty
    Bencic and Kvitova pose with their respective trophies. Getty
  • Kvitova goes for a shot. Reuters
    Kvitova goes for a shot. Reuters
  • Bencic stretches to get a return. Reuters
    Bencic stretches to get a return. Reuters
  • Bencic celebrates her success. Reuters
    Bencic celebrates her success. Reuters
  • Kvitova serves during the match against Bencic. Reuters
    Kvitova serves during the match against Bencic. Reuters
  • It was Bencic's first WTA Premier victory since 2015. Reuters
    It was Bencic's first WTA Premier victory since 2015. Reuters
  • The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium was packed for the 2019 final. Getty
    The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium was packed for the 2019 final. Getty

Dubai Tennis champion Belinda Bencic climbs 22 places in WTA world rankings


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Belinda Bencic is the biggest climber in the WTA world rankings on Monday as the Swiss player moved up to just outside the top 20 following her title success at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Bencic, 21, eliminated four top-10 players in Dubai last week to clinch the third title of her career. After two seasons severely disrupted by injury, the former world No 7 has been rewarded by a surge up to No 23 in the world.

Beaten finalist, Petra Kvitova, is back into the top three, having briefly dropped to fourth after skipping her title defence in Doha the previous week. Kvitova's move drops Sloane Stephens down to fourth.

Naomi Osaka, who was visibly emotional after her second round defeat in Dubai, retains her place at top spot. Simona Halep, beaten by Bencic in the Dubai quarter-finals, holds on to the No 2 ranking.

The other move in the top-10 sees Kiki Bertens and Angelique Kerber swap places to seventh and eighth respectively.

Behind Bencic, the next biggest mover in the top-100 was Czech 19-year-old  Marketa Vondrousova, who climbed 19 places to No 62 after reaching the final in Budapest.

WTA Top-20:

1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,871 pts

2. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,727

3. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 5,605 (+1)

4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 (-1)

5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,145

6. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,900

7. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,885 (+1)

8. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,880 (-1)

9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,565

10. Serena Williams (USA) 3,406

11. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,325

12. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 3,285

13. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,117 (+1)

14. Darya Kasatkina (RUS) 2,985 (-1)

15. Julia Goerges (GER) 2,780

16. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2,745

17. Madison Keys (USA) 2,726

18. Wang Qiang (CHN) 2,580

19. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 2,460 (+1)

20. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 2,430 (-1)

Selected:

23. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 2,065 (+22)

62. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 896 (+19)