Ash set for challenge as world top 10 looms

TENNIS: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is the last hurdle to Ash Barty cementing her first entry into the world’s top 10 this morning.

Barty can make sure she will be no lower than No.10 in the new rankings list if she wins her Miami quarter-final against world No.3 Kvitova from 9.30am (AEST).

The WTA said China’s Qiang Wang, ranked 18th, is the only player ranked lower than the 11th-ranked Barty who can finish with enough points at the end of the Miami tournament to be higher than the Queenslander in the next set of rankings.

To do so, Wang must win the final and also benefit from Barty losing her quarter-final.

But if Barty wins her quarter-final against Kvitova, who beat her in straight sets at the Australian Open, she will make sure of a top-10 ranking.

Barty was also beaten by Kvitova in their Sydney International final in January.

“It’s always an exceptional challenge, she’s one of the best in the world,” Barty said.

“I look forward to it.”

Barty’s 4-6 6-3 6-2 win over seventh seed Kiki Bertens yesterday took her tally to 3490 ranking points, lifting her over the current No.10 Serena Williams (3461). Sam Stosur, in 2013, is the most recent Australian top 10 singles player on the women’s or men’s tours.

Wang will play world No.2 Simona Halep in her quarter-final tomorrowafter seeing off countrywoman Yafan Wang 7-5 6-4.

In the men’s event, Australians Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson won their second-round matches, with Kyrgios seeing off Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 6-3 6-1. Thompson beat former world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 7-5.