Kvitova closes in on return to Top 20

Paris - Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova moved to the brink of a return to the world's Top 20 on Monday, after winning the Saint Petersburg title at the weekend.

The 27-year-old Czech fell out of the top 20 in the rankings last year for the first time since January 2011, but has jumped eight places to 21st.

Former world No 2 Kvitova beat defending champion Kristina Mladenovic in the final in Russia to claim only her second WTA title since suffering a hand injury in a knife attack in December 2016.

Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki maintains her slender lead at the top of the rankings from Simona Halep, despite losing to Russian Daria Kasatkina in the Saint Petersburg quarter-finals.

Germany's Julia Goerges broke into the world's top 10 for the first time despite a semi-final defeat by Kvitova, gaining two spots and taking the place of Frenchwoman Mladenovic.

Latest WTA Tou rankings:

1. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 7 965 pts

2. Simona Halep (ROM) 7 616

3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5 835

4. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 5 690

5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5 445

6. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 5 000

7. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 4 495

8. Venus Williams (USA) 4 277

9. Angelique Kerber (GER) 3 031

10. Julia Goerges (GER) 2 900

11. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2 825

12. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2 813

13. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 2 770

14. Madison Keys (USA) 2 644

15. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2 540

16. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 2 486

17. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 2 434

18. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 2 363

19. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 2 362

20. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2 215

Selected:

21. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 2 187