Kerber loses the No. 1 ranking

It was a marquee match of No. 1 Angelique Kerber and 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, and it lived up to its billing with the Spaniard’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.

The only problem came with Wimbledon’s decision to relegate the match to No. 2 Court rather than Centre Court.

The battle was a magnificent contrast of game styles. Kerber’s line-drive strokes and hustling defense had her looking closer to her 2016 self that saw her win the Australian Open and US Open.

“It was for sure the best match for a long time for me,” Kerber said. “Of course, I’m disappointed that I lost the match, because I was playing really good. At the end, I mean, just one can win, and that was not me today.”

It might have been the match that will help Muguruza take flight this summer. She was able to impose hard groundstrokes on both sides of the court on a surface that does not favor her game. The next day, she ousted Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets to reach the semifinals.

“I know I won it, but I think it was a good match for both of us,” Muguruza said on Monday. “You know, we battle out there. Every point we give our best ... As always, I like to take my chances, go for it. That’s what I was doing.”

Kerber's loss shakes up the WTA, big time:

Kerber will lose her No. 1 ranking to either Simona Halep or Karolina Pliskova—who lost in the second round. If Halep loses to No. 6 seed Johanna Konta on Tuesday, Pliskova will get the No. 1 ranking. If Halep wins that quarterfinal match, she will take the No. 1 spot.

Neither Halep or Pliskova has ever held the top ranking.

Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @JeremyEckstein1

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