PARIS, France: Australian Open winner Serena Williams replaced Angelique Kerber as world number one in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday.
The American moved up one place courtesy of her victory in Melbourne where she got the better of sister Venus 6-4, 6-4 in the final on Saturday for a record 23rd Grand Slam title.
Kerber’s defense of her Australian Open crown ended with a last 16 loss to Coco Vandeweghe with the German now down to second and her American nemesis up 15 rungs to 20th.
Melbourne quarter-finalist Karolina Pliskova climbs two spots to third.
WTA rankings on Monday, January 30
1. Serena Williams (USA) 7.780 pts (+1)
2. Angelique Kerber (GER) 7.115 (-1)
3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5.270 (+2)
4. Simona Halep (ROM) 5.073
5. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 4.985 (+1)
6. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 4.915 (-3)
7. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 4.720
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 3.915 (+2)
10. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3.705 (-1)
11. Venus Williams (USA) 3.530 (+6)
12. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 3.415 (-1)
13. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 2.955
14. Carla Suarez (ESP) 2.625 (-2)
15. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) 2.347
16. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2.357 (+2)
17. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 2.295 (-1)
18. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2.295 (+2)
19. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 2.161 (-5)
20. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 2.136 (+15)
Serena Williams takes over as world number one
Serena Williams takes over as world number one
Liverpool thrash West Ham but Salah’s Premier League goal drought up to 10 games
- Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo all scored for Liverpool
- Salah’s last league goal for Liverpool was way back on Nov. 1 against Aston Villa
LONDON: Mohamed Salah’s run of Premier League games without scoring is up to 10.
Fortunately for the Egypt star, his Liverpool teammates had no problem finding the net in a 5-2 thrashing of West Ham on Saturday that continued the defending champion’s midseason recovery.
Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo all scored for Liverpool, which also forced an own-goal as the team racked up more than four goals in a league game for the first time this season.
Liverpool have won four games in a row in all competitions and six in their last seven — the only blip being the home loss to Manchester City. Arne Slot’s side moved level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United, which play on Sunday at home to Crystal Palace.
Salah’s last league goal for Liverpool was way back on Nov. 1 against Aston Villa. It’s his longest scoring drought in the competition since joining from Roma in 2017.
On a high-scoring day in the Premier League, Brentford gave up a three-goal lead before grabbing a stoppage-time winner through Mikkel Damsgaard to beat next-to-last Burnley 4-3 — though there was late drama as Ashley Barnes thought he equalized in the final seconds only for his goal to be ruled out by VAR.
Everton won at Newcastle 3-2 and Bournemouth’s unbeaten run stretched to eight games by fighting back to draw with Sunderland 1-1.
