With Johanna Konta denying Simona Halep a spot in the Wimbledon semifinals, Karolina Pliskova will rise to No. 1 on Monday. The Czech, who actually lost in the second round to Magdalena Rybakova, is the first Czech WTA No. 1 in Open Era history.

It’s the second Grand Slam in a row that a player losing early in the draw would end up at No. 1 by Slam’s end. Kerber regained her No. 1 spot last month despite losing in the first round of the French Open.

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Konta, who outlasted Halep, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-4, is the first British woman in 39 years to reach the Wimbledon semifinals.

Martina Navratilova changed her citizenship from the Czech Republic to the United States three years before reaching No. 1 in 1978. Ivan Lendl is the only Czech ATP player to reach No. 1, having done so in 1983—nine years before Pliskova was born.

Pliskova becomes the 23rd woman to achieve the milestone, and the sixth to do so without first winning a Slam (joining Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina, Kim Clijsters, Amelie Mauresmo and Caroline Wozniacki).

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A lot of things had to fall into place this fortnight after Pliskova was knocked out of the draw. Angelique Kerber lost her foothold on the spot when she fell in the fourth round to Garbine Muguruza. Had Halep won her encounter with Konta, she would have become the first female Romanian to reach No. 1.

The Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova came closest to ascending the throne ahead of Pliskova. She reached No. 2 in October of 2014, the year she won her first Wimbledon crown.

Follow Nina on Twitter: @ninapantic1

With Halep loss,
Karolina Pliskova
is the new No. 1

With Halep loss, Karolina Pliskova is the new No. 1

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