Zheng Qinwen breaks into Top 5 on WTA rankings following run to final at WTA Finals

Zheng Qinwen came so close to winning the WTA Finals, leading Coco Gauff by a set and a break at 6-3, 3-1 in the final, as well as 2-0 and 5-3 in the third set. But even though the Olympic gold medalist ended up falling just short to the American, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), she leaves Riyadh with a big silver lining.

Her run to the final has moved her up from No. 7 to No. 5 on the WTA rankings this week, her career Top 5 debut.

She’s the seventh tennis player born in the 2000s, male or female, to reach the Top 5 in either ATP or WTA rankings history.

PLAYERS BORN IN 2000 OR LATER TO REACH TOP 5 (ATP or WTA):
Bianca Andreescu [born in 2000, Top 5 debut in 2019]
Iga Swiatek [born in 2001, Top 5 debut in 2021]
Carlos Alcaraz [born in 2003, Top 5 debut in 2022]
Coco Gauff [born in 2004, Top 5 debut in 2022]
Holger Rune [born in 2003, Top 5 debut in 2023]
Jannik Sinner [born in 2001, Top 5 debut in 2023]
Zheng Qinwen [born in 2002, Top 5 debut in 2024]

She’s also just the second Chinese tennis player to reach the Top 5 in either ATP or WTA rankings history, after Li Na, who went as high as No. 2 on the WTA rankings in 2014.

As Zheng makes her Top 5 debut on the WTA rankings, Taylor Fritz makes his Top 5 return on the ATP rankings, rising from No. 6 to No. 5. The move comes after last year’s ATP Finals points drop off, and Novak Djokovic—who won the event last year—dips from No. 5 to No. 6. Fritz didn't play in Turin last year.

It’s the American's fourth career week at No. 5, his first three weeks there coming from February 27th to March 19th, 2023.

Meanwhile, Barbora Krejcikova returns to the Top 10 after reaching the semifinals of the WTA Finals, rising from No. 13 to No. 10. She was actually the only player to defeat Coco Gauff all week, beating her in straight sets in the round robin. The Czech, a former No. 2, is now set for her third year-end Top 10 finish, having finished 2021 at No. 5 and 2023 at No. 10.

And last but certainly not least, the two players who won ATP titles last week make big moves: Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, a former No. 10, jumps from No. 78 to No. 56 after winning the second ATP title of his career in Belgrade; and France’s Benjamin Bonzi, a former No. 42, soars from No. 124 to No. 78 after capturing the first ATP title of his career in Metz.