Anisimova Enters Top 3, Bucsa Climbs into Top 50 Rankings
The 2026 WTA Tour season is set to begin this week, featuring tournaments in Brisbane and Auckland, along with the United Cup team competition. Despite the absence of tour-level events last week, significant shifts occurred in the latest PIF WTA Rankings. This week’s rankings reflected the impact of a calendar change, which saw the season start a week later than in 2025. As a result, points from the previous year’s events in Brisbane, Auckland, and the United Cup have dropped off, leading to several players reaching new career highs.
Significant Milestones in WTA Rankings
- Amanda Anisimova: Climbed one spot to No. 3, marking her entry into the top three for the first time. Anisimova, a finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open, has overtaken Coco Gauff to become the top American player. She is the 61st player in WTA history to achieve this ranking.
- Linda Noskova: Advanced one position to No. 12. The Czech player secured a career high following her first WTA 1000 final appearance in Beijing last October.
- Cristina Bucsa: Achieved a remarkable rise of one spot to enter the Top 50 at No. 50. Bucsa reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam at the US Open and made her first WTA final in Hong Kong during the last half of 2025.
- Oleksandra Oliynykova: Made a significant leap of six positions to No. 90. Despite not yet playing in a tour-level main draw, she has two WTA 125 titles under her belt in 2025, marking her career high in this week’s rankings.
Upcoming Competitions and Implications
As the new season commences, players will look to build on their rankings during the tournaments in Brisbane, Auckland, and the United Cup. The shifts in player standings could influence strategies and expectations as the season unfolds.
