Last week, a pair of WTA 250 tournaments were staged before all the focus shifts to back-to-back WTA 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami for the month of March. 

Champions on the rise

While the Top 20 remains unchanged, last week’s champions made some notable ranking movement.

Donna Vekic captured her fourth title, and first since Courmayeur 2021, last week in Monterrey by defeating No.1 seed Caroline Garcia in the championship match -- the Croat's sixth career Top 5 win. With the trophy, Vekic climbed to No.23 in the WTA Rankings, improving 12 spots (from No.31) to reach her best ranking since February 2020. 

Meanwhile in Austin, Marta Kostyuk won her maiden WTA singles title (champions reel above). At 20 years old, she becomes the seventh-youngest WTA champion currently on tour, and climbs 12 spots from No.52 to a career-high No.40.

Friedsam, Errani return to Top 100

Two former Top 50 players have re-entered the Top 100 after long absences this week. Anna-Lena Friedsam reached the Austin quarterfinals, her second last-eight run in a row following Linz last month, and rises nine places from No.108 to No.99. The 29-year-old German was last ranked in the Top 100 in January 2017, having hit her career-high of No.45 in August 2016.

After reaching the 2020 Lyon final, Friedsam nearly returned to the Top 100 that year, but had her March 2020 ranking of No.106 frozen due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Former Roland Garros finalist Sara Errani captured the Arcadia ITF W60 title last week and climbs 10 spots from No.107 to No.97. Errani, 35, was last ranked inside the Top 100 in October 2018. The Italian reached her career-high of No.5 in May 2013.

Biggest jumps this week in Top 200

Here are the biggest jumps among this week’s Top 200:

Caroline Dolehide +39 (from No.206 to No.167): A qualifier in Monterrey, Dolehide reached a tour-level quarterfinal for the second time in her career (also at 2017 Québec City), earning 78 ranking points as she climbs 39 spots this week. The 24-year-old American reached her career-high of No.102 in July 2018.

Varvara Gracheva +22 (from No.88 to No.66): A first-time Tour finalist in Austin, Gracheva jumps 22 spots this week to No.66, seven spots below her career-high No.59, set in July last year.

Polina Kudermetova +21 (from No.167 to No.146): By capturing the biggest title of her career so far last week at the Astana ITF W40, the 19-year-old reaches a career-high ranking this week at No.146, up 21 spots from her previous ranking. Kudermetova, the younger sister of World No.11 Veronika, made her tour-level debut in January after qualifying for the Australian Open.

Katie Volynets +18 (from No.92 to No.74): The 21-year-old American reached a tour-level semifinal for the first time in her career last week in Austin and collects 110 ranking points, moving to a career-high No.74. In the second round, Volynets scored her second career Top 30 win after coming from 5-0 (and match point) down to upset Anastasia Potapova.

Sunshine Double: Points to defend

Current World No.1 Iga Swiatek is defending 2,000 ranking points during the Sunshine Double as the defending champion at Indian Wells and Miami. As she holds a 4,485 point lead over No.2 Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek will hold on to the world No.1 ranking regardless of results, which will push her total weeks at No.1 to 53 consecutive weeks (including the week of April 3). 

Here is a look at the ranking points the current Top 10 is defending this month at Indian Wells and Miami:

1. Iga Swiatek: 2000 (1000 IW + 1000 MIA)
2. Aryna Sabalenka: 20 (10 IW + 10 MIA)
3. Jessica Pegula: 400 (10 IW + 390 MIA)
4. Ons Jabeur: 130 (10 IW + 120 MIA)
5. Caroline Garcia: 45 (35 IW + 10 MIA)
6. Coco Gauff: 185 (65 IW + 120 MIA)
7. Maria Sakkari: 660 (650 IW + 10 MIA)
8. Daria Kasatkina: 75 (65 IW + 10 MIA)
9. Belinda Bencic: 400 (10 IW + 390 MIA)
10. Elena Rybakina: 280 (215 IW + 65 MIA)