Ranking Movers: Joint reaches new heights in Abu Dhabi

Maya Joint’s first WTA 500 doubles title in Abu Dhabi was rewarded with a career-high ranking in the latest rankings update


Tuesday 10 February 2026
Jackson Mansell
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Women’s doubles

Maya Joint’s second WTA doubles title earned her a second-straight rankings spike, achieving a new career-best. The 19-year-old moved up 10 spots to world No.37 after partnering with Ekaterina Alexandrova to hoist the trophy in Abu Dhabi.

> READ: Joint wins career-best doubles title in Abu Dhabi

She becomes the second-straight Australian to win the doubles crown at the tournament after Ellen Perez triumphed with Jelena Ostapenko in 2025.     

 

Locally, Petra Hule and Elena Micic enjoyed significant rises after they reached the final of the first Australian Pro Tour event for 2026 in Brisbane. 

Hule returned to the top 200, improving to world No.191, while Micic closes in on her career-best ranking of world No.216, currently seven places away.  

Aussie top 10
PlayerRankingMove
Ellen PerezNo.210
Storm HunterNo.28-1
Maya JointNo.37+10
Olivia GadeckiNo.74-9
Talia GibsonNo.110-5
Kimberly BirrellNo.111-4
Priscilla HonNo.129-4
Petra HuleNo.191+23
Taylah PrestonNo.207+8
Elena MicicNo.223+17

Women’s singles

Talia Gibson’s successful return to the Australian Pro Tour saw her climb up the rankings. The 21-year-old claimed her eleventh ITF title at the W75 tournament in Brisbane without dropping a set. 

Gibson jumped to world No.112 as a result, moving up six places. She will aim to further improve her ranking when she competes at the second Brisbane Pro Tour event this week. 

> MORE: Gibson, Sweeny maintain dominance in Brisbane

Meanwhile, following her strong start to the 2026 season, Olivia Gadecki is now ranked inside the Australian top 10, improving to world No.180. 

The 23-year-old recorded her biggest victory in 16 months at the Brisbane International, defeating world No.37 Ann Li to progress to the second round. She also won a round of Australian Open 2026 qualifying, prevailing against 22nd seed Arantxa Rus in straight sets.   

> BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL: Gadecki leads Queensland takeover

Aussie top 10
PlayerRankingMove
Maya JointNo.30-1
Daria KasatkinaNo.61-1
Ajla TomljanovicNo.740
Kimberly BirrellNo.96-12
Talia GibsonNo.112+6
Maddison InglisNo.125-13
Priscilla HonNo.128-2
Taylah PrestonNo.151-3
Emerson JonesNo.162+1
Olivia GadeckiNo.180+4

Men’s doubles

For the first time since June 2023, nine Australians feature inside the ATP doubles top 100 after Blake Bayldon won the Brisbane Challenger doubles title with Marc Polmans. 

Bayldon moved up seven places to world No.99 to obtain his first top-100 ranking in two months. His rise, along with Polmans and Jason Kubler’s men’s doubles final run at Australian Open 2026, ensured the feat was achieved. 

Polmans also boosted his ranking by four places after the Brisbane Pro Tour event.

> READ: Golden AO fortnight ends in final loss for Kubler and Polmans

Aussie top 10
PlayerRankingMove
John-Patrick SmithNo.390
John PeersNo.57-2
Rinky HijikataNo.60-2
Marc PolmansNo.64+4
Jordan ThompsonNo.65-1
Matt EbdenNo.67-1
Jason KublerNo.70+1
Matthew RomiosNo.81+3
Blake BayldonNo.99+7
Patrick Harper No.131   
-10

Men’s singles

Of the players within Australia’s men’s singles top 10, Brisbane Challenger finalists, Dane Sweeny and Tristan Schoolkate, were the biggest beneficiaries of the latest rankings update. 

 

Sweeny, the Brisbane champion, continued to improve on his career-high ranking. For the first time, the New South Welshman is ranked inside the top 150, moving to world No.138.

Meanwhile, Schoolkate is on the verge of a top-100 return as he climbed to world No.102. 

Aussie top 10
PlayerRankingMove
Alex de MinaurNo.8-2
Alexei PopyrinNo.50+1
James DuckworthNo.83+3
Aleksandar VukicNo.88+3
Adam WaltonNo.93-12
Tristan SchoolkateNo.102+12
Jordan ThompsonNo.111-1
Rinky HijikataNo.113-10
Chris O'ConnellNo.1190
Dane SweenyNo.138
+13

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