IN the first edition of a regular piece tracking the risers and sliders of the ATP and WTA Tours, we take a look at five players who have improved their ranking, and five who have dropped theirs, on each tour as we head into the next week of competition. It is worth noting that in the case of the ATP Tour the rankings are live as the ATP Cup has pushed other tournaments back a week and therefore some tournaments – such as the ASB Classic points from last year are deducted but can be earned back.

ATP TOUR:

RISERS:

#4 Daniil Medvedev (RUS) (+1)

It might raise a few eyebrows that a player moving up one spot would be on the list of risers, but with Dominic Thiem only having the one win, and the Russian going on to make the semi-finals and only losing to Novak Djokovic, he has now moved into the coveted fourth spot. What that means is Medvedev avoids playing one of the ‘Big Three’ before the Australian Open semi-finals.

#33 Daniel Evans (GBR) (+9)

He is flying under the radar like nobody else, because while the talk surrounds a lot of other players, the 29-year-old Brit knocked off two of the most in-form players in David Goffin and Alex de Minaur at the ATP Cup. One to watch at the Australian Open, and likely seeded as well.

#18 Andrey Rublev (RUS) (+5)

Moving up to a career-high 18th in the ATP world rankings, Rublev took out the title at Doha to continue his great form in the back-end of last year. Still only 22 years of age, he now sits comfortably inside the top 20, and given he has already made it onto the main draw at Adelaide and the Australian Open, expect him to pick up more points regardless of how he goes there.

#27 Dusan Lajovic (SRB) (+7)

A crucial riser, Lajovic had a great tournament at the ATP Cup, benefiting from playing as the second player on Serbia’s side behind Djokovic. He now moves into the top 30 and a seeding at the Australian Open is on offer.

#70 Corentin Moutet (FRA) (+11)

Making a final in Doha has certainly helped the 70th ranked Frenchman, not to mention a huge win over Stan Wawrinka will help the confidence. Now settled inside the top 100 with form on his side, he can head to Melbourne Park in the main draw after losing in the first round of qualifying 12 months ago.

SLIDERS:

#101 Tennys Sandgren (USA) (-33)*

Unfortunately for the 28-year-old American, unless he takes out the ASB Classic this week, he will drop down the rankings. On the live rankings given the Auckland tournament was a week earlier last year, and Sandgren was bundled out in the first round at Doha, he could be looking at dropping a massive 250 points and 33 ranking places – but will be keen to try and defend as much of that as he can this week.

#84 Andreas Seppi (ITA) (-13)

Twelve months ago the ageing Italian veteran made the Sydney final on the back of some great shot play. Fast forward to 2020 and Seppi instead opted for the Challenger event at Bendigo and not only played in the lower event, but bowed out in the first round, dropping 150 points and 13 ranking places.

#62 Cameron Norrie (GBR) (-10)

Despite Great Britain making a quarter final, Norrie could not do much in the way of wins, only triumphing over two players ranked 423rd and 818th. The 24-year-old will want to improve his form coming into the first Grand Slam of the year.

#35 Milos Raonic (CAN) (-3)

Lost in the opening round at Doha which was a shock for one of the genuine title contenders, but the Canadian has only dropped three spots due to others moving up. However, to lose so early in a tournament, and potentially lose his Australian Open seeding is a worry, and Raonic will want to pick up his form after making a quarter final at the Grand Slam last year.

#60 Gilles Simon (FRA) (-3)

Not a major drop and spectators know that Simon is not the same as the top 10 talent from past years, but the 35-year-old only has one win under his belt – against 99th ranked Lloyd Harris – after the ATP Cup so is having a lighter preparation this year.

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WTA TOUR:

RISERS:

#64 Jessica Pegula (USA) (+18)

The 25 year-old American had the biggest rise up the rankings of anyone inside the top 100 this week following her sensational run to the ASB Classic final. Now well secured inside the top 100, the surprise packet from Auckland will be hoping to continue that form at the Australian Open.

#26 Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) (+8)

It is no surprise to see the 25-year-old Russian on this list, moving eight spots, and more critically, inside the top 30. It means instead of being outside the top 32 and potentially missing out on an Australian seeding, Alexandrova will now begin her journey at Melbourne Park seeded, on the back of a win at Shenzen – her first official WTA title following her third Limoges title on the 125K circuit.

#30 Elena Rybakina (KAZ) (+6)

Still only 20 years of age, the young Kazakhstan talent showed why she is one to watch for the future with a finals appearance at Shenzhen over the weekend. While Rybakina ultimately went down to Alexandrova, she has plenty of years left and like Alexandrova, has moved into the seeding spots for the upcoming Australian Open.

#22 Amanda Anisimova (+3)

The youth coming through is certainly starting to impress, and Anisimova’s run at the ASB Classic in Auckland before running into a red-hot Serena Williams earned her a place on the list. She has not moved as drastically as others on the list, but her three places moved her up to #22 and it is worth keeping in mind she is still only 18-years-old.

#211 Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) (+51)

Much lower down the rankings, the talented Canadian has made the most rapid rise of anyone over the week following her quarter final appearance in Auckland. While still well outside the automatic qualifying for Grand Slams, the often maligned Bouchard could prove some critics wrong with a good run at the Australian Open.

SLIDERS:

#99 Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) (-30)

After making a quarter final in Brisbane last year, Sasnovich opted to play at the lower Shenzhen tournament, and unfortunately for the 25-year-old Belarusian it did not pay off, losing in the second round and dropping 30 spots in the process.

#202 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) (-69)

After remarkably making a final in Hobart last year, the Slovakian bowed out in the first round of qualifying this year, meaning Schmiedlova dropped a massive 69 spots from 153rd to 202nd, the most of anyone on this list.

#37 Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) (-5)

While one Kazakhstan player moved up the rankings, another dropped back with Putintseva now being her nation’s second ranked player. The 25-year-old lost in the Round of 16 at Brisbane and it cost her five spots and potentially a seeding at the Australian Open.

#79 Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) (-7)

The Belgian veteran bowed out in the opening round of the ASB Classic and it has seen the 34-year-old drop seven spots down to 79th in the world. Still a solid player, she is in the twilight of her career and will be keen to bounce back at the upcoming Grand Slam.

#178 Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) (-41)

Another older player on the list, the 30-year-old Swiss talent opted to rest from the Australian Summer and therefore dropped 100 points and 41 ranking spots over the past week. Bacsinszky will drop a further 130 points having already chosen not to play at Melbourne Park and therefore will drop to around the 200 mark.