Katie Boulter replaces Emma Raducanu as British No 1 after Surbiton Trophy as US Open champion remains injured
Katie Boulter has become the new British No 1 women’s tennis player after her semi-final run at the Surbiton Trophy last week.
Boulter is now ranked No 126 in the world, two places ahead of Emma Raducanu as the 2021 US Open champion is set to be out for at least another month, meaning she will miss Wimbledon, due to hand and ankle surgery.
Raducanu last played in April at the Stuttgart Open, but has struggled with injuries and fitness since winning at Flushing Meadows two years ago.
She reached world No 10, only to drop outside of the top 100 earlier this year and split with her fifth coach in under two years, Sebastian Sachs, earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Boulter reached the third round of Wimbledon last year and has had success on the ITF Circuit this season.
Katie Swan had the chance to become British No 1 if she won the Surbiton Trophy, but lost 2-6 6-4 7-6 to Yanina Wickmayer.
“Naturally, I am very proud to join the women before me who have reached that historic spot,” said Boulter. “However, my main goal remains on improving my ranking and continuing to work hard.
“It’s going to be an exciting summer as we are all very close in the rankings.”
Katie Boulter reached the semi-finals of the Surbiton Trophy
Sabalenka reduces Swiatek’s lead in race for world No 1
At the top of the WTA rankings, Iga Swiatek’s third French Open title ensured she remained world No 1, although Aryna Sabalenka is just 912 points behind going into the grass-court season.
Swiatek was defending the 2000 points she received from her 2022 Roland-Garros triumph and Sabalenka’s thrilling semi-final defeat to Karolina Muchova meant the Pole remains the player to beat.
Elena Rybakina was forced to pull out ahead of the third round due to illness, but has moved up one place to third, ahead of Carolina Garcia and Jessica Pegula.
Muchova’s remarkable run to the final puts her 16th in the rankings, while Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia is inside the top 10 for the first time in her career after reaching the last four in Paris.
Iga Swiatek beat Karolina Muchova 6-2 5-7 6-4 in the French Open final on Saturday
WTA rankings top 10
1. Iga Swiatek 8,940 points
2. Aryna Sabalenka – 8,012
3. Elena Rybakina – 5,090
4. Caroline Garcia – 5,025
5.Jessica Pegula – 4,905
6. Ons Jabeur – 3,961
7. Coco Gauff – 3,435
8. Maria Sakkari – 3,272
9. Petra Kvitova – 3,102
10. Beatriz Haddad Maia – 2,420
