The battle to be the British women’s number one is an intriguing sub-plot which will continue over the grass-court season.
Emma Raducanu replaced Katie Boulter as the nation’s leading player following her run to the Queen’s quarter-finals.
Raducanu has climbed one place to 36th in the world, with Boulter dropping five places to 39th after losing in the second round.
And it’s not only Raducanu and Boulter in the mix. British number three Sonay Kartal is ranked just below them at 50th.
“It’s nice [being British number one], but I wouldn’t say it’s the most important thing for me,” said Raducanu, whose first spell came after she won the 2021 US Open.
“It was nice for me to have something to chase, and I’m sure Katie’s going to enjoy that with me.
“The grass season is still young, and so is the rest of the season. We have a healthy competition.”
Boulter, 28, had a two-year grip on the position but was leapfrogged by 22-year-old Raducanu when the rankings were released on Monday.
While both players insist it is not a huge deal – their focus remains on the bigger picture of climbing the world rankings – it is a storyline which will rumble into Wimbledon at the end of the month.
