Jasmine Paolini rises to No. 4, tying record for highest-ranked Italian in WTA rankings history

The points from last year’s WTA Finals drop off this week, meaning there’s some movement in the WTA Top 10—and some history.

With no points dropping off of her total as she didn’t play the year-end championships last year, Jasmine Paolini rises from No. 6 to No. 4 this week—not only is it a new career-high for her, jumping over her previous career-high of No. 5, but she also ties the record for highest-ranked Italian player in WTA rankings history.

Francesca Schiavone, best known for winning Roland Garros in 2010, also reached No. 4 on the WTA rankings the following year in 2011.

Only four Italians, male or female, have reached the Top 4 in either ATP or WTA rankings history, which began in 1973 and 1975.

ITALIANS TO REACH ATP OR WTA TOP 4 (since 1973 and 1975):

• Adriano Panatta [No. 4 on ATP rankings in 1976]
• Francesca Schiavone [No. 4 on WTA rankings in 2011]
• Jannik Sinner [No. 1 on ATP rankings in 2024]
• Jasmine Paolini [No. 4 on WTA rankings in 2024]

A few spots up from Paolini, the points gap between No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek has widened dramatically, from 41 points last week (9,706 to 9,665) to 1,046 points this week (9,016 to 7,970). At last year’s WTA Finals, Sabalenka reached the semifinals, falling to Swiatek, who went on to win the title undefeated.

This week is also Sabalenka’s milestone 10th career week at No. 1.

Meanwhile, with four tour-level events last week—including three at the 500 level—there are plenty of ranking movers.

On the men’s side the most notable mover is Jack Draper, who rises from No. 18 to No. 15, his Top 15 debut, after capturing the biggest title of his career at the ATP 500 event in Vienna. He also jumps over Ugo Humbert to become the No. 1 lefty on the ATP rankings.

Meanwhile: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard rises from No. 50 to No. 31, shattering his previous high of No. 44, after winning the biggest title of his career at the ATP 500 in Basel; Czech teenager Jakub Mensik rises from No. 51 to No. 48 after reaching the quarterfinals in Vienna, which isn’t just his Top 50 debut but also makes him just the second man born in 2005 or later to reach the Top 50, after Shang Juncheng; and Otto Virtanen rises from No. 104 to No. 96, his Top 100 debut, after winning a Challenger title in Brest, France.

On the women’s side, Diana Shnaider rises from No. 16 to No. 14, her Top 15 debut, after reaching the semifinals in Tokyo, and Olga Danilovic jumps from her previous career-high of No. 86 all the way to No. 52 after capturing the WTA 250 title in Guangzhou.

And former No. 4 Sofia Kenin makes a welcome return to the Top 100, rising from No. 155 to No. 88 after reaching the final in Tokyo.