Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia, 26 July 2016 | tennis.com.au

Max Purcell has enjoyed a fast-track route into the world’s top 400 after his first professional title at the weekend.

Purcell, an 18-year-old Sydneysider, won the ATP Challenger event in Gimcheon, Korea, and as a result soared 376 places in the rankings to world No.386.

Previously ranked No.762, Purcell became the lowest-ranked winner of a Challenger title in 14 years.

> see where the Aussies stand in the latest ATP rankings

The player he beat in the Gimcheon final, fellow Australian Andrew Whittington, rose 34 places to No.207.

Whittington is now the eighth highest-ranked Australian after leapfrogging John-Patrick Smith, Ben Mitchell, Luke Saville and Matt Ebden.

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A little higher up, James Duckworth improved his ranking by 21 places to No.184 after reaching the second round of the ATP 500 event in Washington DC as a qualifier.

Meanwhile, Priscilla Hon improved her ranking 16 places to 328th – and her Australian ranking to No.8 – thanks to reaching the second round of the $50,000 ITF hardcourt event in Sacramento.

> view the latest WTA rankings

At a concurrent ITF $25,000 hardcourt tournament in Winnipeg, Canada, Olivia Rogowska reached the semifinals and rose 45 spots to world No.452.