Ranking movers: Birrell, Vukic make top-100 return

Kimberly Birrell and Aleksandar Vukic have each ascended to the top 100 after impressive recent performances.


Tuesday 04 November 2025
Bede Briscomb
Melbourne, Australia
January 16: Kimberly Birrell (AUS) during Round 1 on Court 14 at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Photo by TENNIS AUSTRALIA/ JOSH CHADWICK

Women’s singles

Kimberly Birrell has returned to the WTA top 100 for the second time this year after a strong finals run at the Chennai Open.

The seventh seed upset third seed Donna Vekic in the quarterfinals and saved four match points in a dramatic semifinal, before falling to 23-year-old Indonesian Janice Tjen in straight sets in the WTA 250 title match.

The 27-year-old climbs 23 places to world No.94, joining Maya Joint (No.32), Daria Kasatkina (No.37) and Ajla Tomljanovic (No.83) among the Australian women inside the top 100.

 

With confidence surging, Birrell will now aim to build on recent form to get closer to her season-best ranking of No.60 achieved in May.

Arina Rodionova also rose 42 spots in the rankings after reaching the quarterfinals at the same event.

Aussie Top 10
PlayerRankingMove
Maya JointNo.320
Daria KasatkinaNo.37+1
Ajla TomljanovicNo.83+3
Kimberly BirrellNo.94+23
Priscilla HonNo.106-5
Talia GibsonNo.137-3
Astra SharmaNo.154-5
Daria SavilleNo.1630
Maddison InglisNo.177+9
Emerson JonesNo.189-29

Men’s singles

Aleksandar Vukic was another Australian to climb back inside the world’s top 100. After advancing through qualifying and winning his opening round at the Paris Masters 1000, the 29-year-old jumped 16 places to world No.97. 

Alexei Popyrin, meanwhile, has slipped outside the top 50 for the first time since August 2023.

It’s also been a tough stretch for Jordan Thompson, who was forced to retire in the quarterfinals of the Sioux Falls Challenger – his second consecutive tournament ended by a lingering back injury.

Aussie Top 10
PlayerRankingMove
Alex de MinaurNo.7-1
Alexei PopyrinNo.53-6
Adam WaltonNo.830
Aleksandar VukicNo.87+16
Tristan SchoolkateNo.99-1
 Jordan ThompsonNo.106-32
Christopher O’ConnellNo.1070
James DuckworthNo.113-1
Rinky HijikataNo.127-8
Bernard TomicNo.185
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Women’s doubles

Fresh of a third WTA doubles finals appearance this month, Storm Hunter improved to No.33.

After victory in Wuhan alongside Czech Katerina Siniakova in early October the Australian combined with American partner Desirae Krawczyk to reach the Osaka final and most recently was runner-up with Romania's Monica Niculescu in Chennai.

Alexandra Osborne moved up five places after reaching the semifinals at the W100 event in Irapuato, the highest-tier tournament on the ITF circuit.

Aussie Top 10
PlayerRankingMove
Ellen PerezNo.230
Storm HunterNo.33+3
Maya JointNo.54+1
Olivia GadeckiNo.560
Priscilla HonNo.99-3
Kimberly BirrellNo.1500
Petra HuleNo.158+5
Alexandra OsborneNo.236+5
Elena MicicNo.235-2
Destanee AiavaNo.236-10


Men’s doubles

John Peers reached his 10th doubles quarterfinal of the year at the Paris Masters 1000, partnering with American JJ Tracy. The run rewarded the veteran Aussie with an eight-place climb to world No.41.

Rinky Hijikata continued his rise in the rankings, moving to world No.61 after claiming the Sioux Falls Challenger doubles title with Mac Higer. It’s Hijikata’s first doubles crown of the year.

John-Patrick Smith also moved up one spot, solidifying his place inside the top 50 alongside Peers.

Aussie Top 10
PlayerRankingMove
John Peers No.41+8
John-Patrick SmithNo.43+1
Jordan ThompsonNo.54-16
Rinky Hijikata No.61+2
Matt EbdenNo.65-8
Matthew RomiosNo.71-1
Blake BayldonNo.98-2
Patrick Harper No.123-2
Alexei PopyrinNo.136+1
Max PurcellNo.187    
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