The European red-clay swing on the Hologic WTA Tour began last week. Jelena Ostapenko won her ninth career title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix WTA 500 in Stuttgart. Elina Svitolina secured her 18th trophy at the Open Rouen Capfinances Métropole WTA 250 event.
Ostapenko began 2025 ranked No. 17, but dropped to No. 37 in February after early season losses. The Latvian player recovered by reaching the Doha final and continued her comeback in Stuttgart. Ostapenko`s Stuttgart victory included wins against World No. 2 Iga Swiatek (her sixth win in six matches) and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (her first win in four matches). This was Ostapenko`s second clay-court title, her first since winning Roland Garros in 2017, which was also her first career title.
This week, she returns to the Top 20, climbing six places to No. 18.
Interestingly, in 2025, Ostapenko has a perfect record against Top 10 players (4-0) but a losing record against players outside the Top 10 (8-9).
For Svitolina, the Rouen title marks her second title since returning from maternity leave, both on French clay (Strasbourg 2023 being the first). The Ukrainian player now has an 18-4 record in finals and moves up one position to No. 17.
Rouen Finalist Danilovic Achieves New Career High
Olga Danilovic first entered the Top 100 in September 2018 at 17 years old, shortly after winning the Moscow River Cup in her WTA main-draw debut. She remained there for five weeks before dropping out. It took her another five years to return.
However, the last year has been Danilovic`s most consistent period. This time, she maintained her momentum, rising further in the rankings. The 24-year-old reached the fourth round of her first two Grand Slams (Roland Garros last year and the Australian Open in January), won her second title in Guangzhou last October, and reached her fourth tour-level final last week in Rouen.
This Rouen run extended Danilovic`s winning streak to nine matches (including the Antalya 1 WTA 125 title earlier in April) before losing to Svitolina in a close final. She climbs five places to a career-high ranking of No. 34 this week.
Navarro Back in Top 10, Rybakina Out
Emma Navarro re-enters the Top 10 just three weeks after dropping out for the first time since her debut last September. The American player moves up one spot to No. 10 after reaching the second round in Stuttgart.
Navarro and Elena Rybakina exchange positions. Rybakina, who did not defend her 2024 Stuttgart title, falls one place to No. 11. The former Wimbledon champion is outside the Top 10 for the first time since January 2023.
Seidel, Rakotomanga Rajaonah Show Promise at Home
Two players born in 2005 achieved notable results on home soil last week. In Stuttgart, 20-year-old German Ella Seidel, as a lucky loser, fought her way to a three-set victory over experienced compatriot Tatjana Maria to reach the second round. Seidel, who has reached three WTA 250 quarterfinals in the last nine months, climbs 13 places to a new career-high of No. 111.
Two weeks prior, Varvara Gracheva became the only French player in the Top 100, a 44-year low. Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah`s strong performance in Rouen offered some hope. The 19-year-old French player qualified for her WTA main-draw debut. She then achieved her first two Top 100 wins against Lucia Bronzetti and Jaqueline Cristian to reach the quarterfinals before losing to Suzan Lamens.
Rakotomanga Rajaonah, ranked No. 574 a year ago, jumps 45 places from No. 291 to a new career-high of No. 245 this week. The next highest-ranked French teenager is Astrid Lew Yan Foon at No. 490.
Other Notable Rankings Movements
Mayar Sherif, +11 to No. 50: Sherif needed a strong week after a poor 2-8 season start. She achieved this as the top seed at the Madrid ITF W100, winning without dropping a set and returning to the Top 50 for the first time since November 2023.
Katie Volynets, +10 to No. 70: The American player reached her second career WTA 125 final last week in Oeiras.
Dalma Galfi, +28 to No. 121: Galfi, from Hungary, won the Oeiras WTA 125, the biggest title of her career. She has won nine of her last 10 matches at WTA 125 level.
Jana Fett, +24 to No. 129: In 2017, Fett defeated Kristina Mladenovic in Tokyo. Eight years later, the former No. 97 secured her second Top 20 win against Donna Vekic in Stuttgart.
Jessika Ponchet, +11 to No. 135: Ponchet became the second Frenchwoman in the Rouen quarterfinals, reaching her first WTA quarterfinal.
Iryna Shymanovich, +29 to No. 174: Shymanovich won her first ITF title since 2022 at the Zephyrhills W50 in Florida.
Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, +33 to No. 208: Andrianjafitrimo reached the Calvi ITF W75 final and is back to her highest ranking since July 2022.
Sofia Costoulas, +48 to No. 212: Costoulas won the Calvi ITF W75 title, achieving a new career high.
Julia Grabher, +56 to No. 238: Grabher won the Koper ITF W75, her biggest title since returning from wrist surgery.
Camilla Rosatello, +37 to No. 251: Rosatello qualified in Rouen and upset Alycia Parks for her third Top 100 win.
Caty McNally, +37 to No. 287: McNally is back inside the Top 300 after reaching the Zephyrhills ITF W50 final.
Ekaterine Gorgodze, +60: Gorgodze reached her first ITF W75 final since 2022 in Koper.
