Ranking movers: Purcell continues impressive rise

Several Australian players have set new career-high rankings this week, including Max Purcell making his top-200 singles debut.


Tuesday 20 July 2021
Leigh Rogers
Australia
Australia's Max Purcell returns against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego during their men's singles semi-final tennis match on day five of the Eastbourne International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, southern England on June 25, 2021. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Men's singles

Max Purcell is the biggest mover in the latest ATP Tour men's singles rankings, rising an impressive 44 places after winning his second career ATP Challenger singles title.

The 23-year-old's victory in Kazakhstan last week was his first tour-level singles title since 2018 and propels him into the world's top 200. Purcell is now at a career-high No.190 and verging on a breakthrough into the Australian top 10.

Purcell, who will make his Olympic Games debut in doubles later this week, has now improved his singles ranking a remarkable 93 places in the past month and won nine of his past 11 matches.

He is one of several Australian men enjoying significant rises this week.

Jordan Thompson improves eight spots to No.63 after his semifinal run in Newport and overtakes compatriot Alexei Popyrin to reclaim the Australian No.4 position.

There is also good news for Rinky Hijikata, who won his second career ITF Futures title in Tunisia last week. The 20-year-old's ranking jumps 41 spots to No.708.

AUSSIE TOP 10
PlayerRankMove
Alex de MinaurNo.170
John MillmanNo.44+1
Nick KyrgiosNo.56+2
Jordan ThompsonNo.63+8
Alexei PopyrinNo.72-2
James DuckworthNo.77-1
Christopher O'ConnellNo.131-3
Marc PolmansNo.147-4
Alex BoltNo.148-2
Thanasi KokkinakisNo.183-1
Women's singles

Ellen Perez has returned to the world's top 200 in the latest WTA Tour singles rankings. The 25-year-old improves 14 spots after advancing to an ITF final in Portugal.

Storm Sanders continues her impressive rise too, improving seven places to a new career-high of No.134 after reaching her second WTA quarterfinal of the season last week in Prague. The 26-year-old is now the No.4-ranked Australian woman.

Astra Sharma also rises seven spots this week and is now ranked No.121 after reaching the second-round at a WTA tournament in Lausanne.

AUSSIE TOP 10
PlayerRankMove
Ash BartyNo.10
Ajla TomljanovicNo.510
Astra SharmaNo.121+7
Storm SandersNo.134+7
Maddison InglisNo.142-4
Lizette CabreraNo.1460
Arina RodionovaNo.153-1
Priscilla HonNo.176-2
Sam StosurNo.186-21
Ellen PerezNo.199+14
Men's doubles

Luke Saville will make his Olympic Games debut this week at a career-high ranking of world No.32.

The 27-year-old, who will partner John Millman in Tokyo, rose one spot in the latest ATP Tour doubles rankings.

AUSSIE TOP 10
PlayerRankMove
John PeersNo.250
Luke SavilleNo.32+1
Max PurcellNo.39+2
Alex de MinaurNo.680
Matthew EbdenNo.72-1
John-Patrick SmithNo.75-1
Matt ReidNo.890
Marc PolmansNo.103-3
James DuckworthNo.227+1
Scott PuodziunasNo.240+2
Women's doubles

Ash Barty remains the top-ranked Australian in the latest WTA doubles rankings.

Olivia Gadecki is the biggest mover of the week, improving 48 places to a career-high No.235.

The 20-year-old from Queensland won the biggest doubles title of her career last week, claiming an ITF $60K title in Vitoria-Gasteiz with Spaniard Rebeka Masarova. It is Gadecki's fourth ITF doubles title win this season.

AUSSIE TOP 10
PlayerRankMove
Ash BartyNo.360
Storm SandersNo.410
Ellen PerezNo.50+1
Arina RodionovaNo.80+1
Sam StosurNo.990
Astra SharmaNo.1210
Ajla TomljanovicNo.133-1
Monique AdamczakNo.166-33
Jaimee FourlisNo.188+1
Lizette CabreraNo.1900

> READ: Polmans, Inglis prove they belong at tour-level