Indian Wells winner Rybakina climbs to career-high ranking

PARIS, AFP: Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina moved up three places to a career-high ranking of seventh on Monday after winning the prestigious Indian Wells title.

The Kazakh star beat Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka in Sunday’s final to avenge her defeat by the Belarusian earlier this year in the Melbourne showpiece.

She would be higher in the standings if Wimbledon had not been stripped of its ranking points last year for banning Russian and Belarusian players.

Iga Swiatek retains a commanding lead as world number one, despite failing to win a second straight Indian Wells title after a semi-final loss to Rybakina.