Tennis: Bianca Andreescu leaps 10 spots to No 5 with US Open win

Bianca Andreescu says taking a more positive approach has helped her game. Photo / AP

A year ago, Bianca Andreescu was ranked outside the WTA's top 200 after losing in the first round of US Open qualifying.

Thanks to winning her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows, Andreescu jumped 10 spots to a career-high No 5 in the rankings this week, while Ash Barty again replaced Naomi Osaka at No 1.

Andreescu's 6-3, 7-5 win over Serena Williams in the final continued the 19-year-old Canadian's rapid rise from 178th at the end of last season. She is the first woman in the Open era, which began in 1968, to win the US Open in her main-draw debut. This was only her fourth career appearance at any slam.

"I don't think I was ever as composed as I am now, or even a year ago. I would get really down on myself and I would get very negative thoughts going through my mind. I would smash rackets. I'd just yell at myself during matches. Actually not even during matches, even during practice, too," Andreescu said.

"But I found that way wasn't working to my advantage at all. So I started seeking some advice from other people.

"Ever since then, I've been trying to have a very positive outlook on everything. I think that's really been helping me, even in tough situations."

Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, slid from No 8 to No 9 after losing her second consecutive US Open final — and finishing as the runner-up for the fourth time in the past six majors.

Osaka, last year's champion, and Barty both lost in the fourth round. That allowed Barty to move up from No 2 and Osaka dropped to No 4. Barty already briefly was No 1 after winning the French Open in June for her first major championship.

Karolina Pliskova is No 2, and Elina Svitolina is No 3.

US Open men's champion Rafael Nadal stayed at No 2 in the ATP rankings and closed the gap between him and No 1 Novak Djokovic.

Runner-up Daniil Medvedev is up to a personal-best No 4 from No 5 after reaching his first Grand Slam final, where he lost to Nadal 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 over nearly five hours.

Nadal collected his fourth trophy in New York and his 19th Grand Slam title in all, moving within one of Roger Federer's record for men.

Federer remained at No 3 after losing in the quarter-finals while bothered by a bad back.

- AP