By Chris Oddo | Wednesday July 12, 2017
The WTA will have a new No.1 when its rankings are released post-Wimbledon, and she won’t be vying for the title this weekend in London. That’s because Johanna Konta’s three-set win over Simona Halep on Day 8 knocked Romania’s Simona Halep out of the race a day after top-seeded Angelique Kerber fell out of Wimbledon against Garbiñe Muguruza.
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Both had chances to finish Wimbledon at the top of the rankings but because each was unable to progress it will be Karolina Pliskova who ascends and becomes the 23rd No.1 in WTA history on Monday.
Pliskova fell in the second round to Magdalena Rybarikova at Wimbledon, ending a run of three straight majors where she had reached at least the quarterfinals.
“She's playing really well,” Halep, who would have become No.1 had she defeated Konta on Tuesday at Wimbledon, said. “This year she already has few titles won. I feel she deserves to be there. She has the best serve, I think, after Serena. So well done to her.”
Only three players—Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina and Caroline Wozniacki—have held the No.1 and never won a major. Pliskova, who lost in last year’s U.S. Open final to Serena Williams, is the fourth.
Kim Clijsters and Amelie Mauresmo each reached No.1 without having yet won a major but the pair each went on to win multiple majors.
Pliskova is 35-10 on the season with three titles. The 25-year-old has gone 74-29 since the beginning of 2016 with five titles in seven finals.