Halep returns to World No.1 ranking

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Simona Halep returns to World No.1 today for the 17th week in her career.

She takes the top spot back from Caroline Wozniacki. Last year in Dubai, Wozniacki finished as runner-up earning 585 points (Dubai had Premier 5 status), but she did not compete there last week, leaving the way open for the Romanian to return to World No.1.

Wozniacki had ascended to No.1 on January 29, after winning the Australian Open and has held the top spot for four consecutive weeks, bringing her career total to 71 weeks at No.1 (including the week of February 19, 2018).

The two played out an epic Australian Open final in January, with the Dane eventually triumphing 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4.

That was Halep's third career Grand Slam final - but the fact that she reached it at all was a marvel considering she sustained an ankle injury in her first-round match against Destanee Aiava.

She had begun her year by winning the Shenzhen Open in China, beating Nicole Gibbs, Duan Ying-Ying, Aryna Sabalenka and Irina-Camelia Begu to reach the final, where she defeated defending champion Katerina Siniakova in three sets.

She also won her first WTA doubles title in Shenzhen alongside Begu - beating Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova in the final.

WTA Staff