Andreescu and Stephens Win Titles and Climb WTA Rankings

Former US Open champions Bianca Andreescu and Sloane Stephens strengthened their bids to return to the world's top 100 after winning professional singles titles over the weekend. Andreescu claimed the WTA 125 crown in Rovereto, Italy, while Stephens won the ITF W100 tournament in Edmond, Oklahoma, with both victories improving their positions in the rankings published on October 19, 2026.

According to the WTA, Canada's Andreescu climbed 36 places to No. 132, her highest ranking since April, when she reached No. 127. American Stephens rose 15 spots to No. 118, her best position since February 2025, after beginning the 2026 season outside the top 1,000.

Andreescu, 26, defeated sixth-seeded Dominika Salkova 7-6(2), 6-2 in the Rovereto final after recovering from a 5-2 deficit in the opening set. The 2019 US Open champion also beat top seed Antonia Ruzic and fifth seed Lucrezia Stefanini during the tournament, securing victories over three seeded opponents.

The Canadian lost only one set throughout the competition, according to Tennis Canada. Her second-round match against Ruzic ended 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, making it the only match in which she dropped a set on her way to the title.

The Rovereto trophy is Andreescu's third singles title of 2026 and her most significant championship since winning the US Open in 2019. She previously collected two World Tennis Tour titles in January, ending a professional singles title drought that had lasted more than six years.

Andreescu also described the personal difficulties that accompanied her prolonged recovery from injuries in comments reported by Tenniswatcher and attributed to Gazzetta delle Valli.

"I went through a lot of difficulties and suffered many injuries. There were moments when I wanted to quit everything," Andreescu said.

Injuries repeatedly interrupted the Canadian's career after her breakthrough season. A knee problem sustained at the 2019 WTA Finals kept her out for the following season, while a serious ankle injury in Miami in 2023 was followed by a stress fracture in her back. She also stepped away from the tour in 2022 to focus on her mental health.

Andreescu said the latest championship carried particular significance after those setbacks.

"This title means a lot to me," she said.

Her 2019 campaign included titles at Indian Wells and the Canadian Open before she defeated Serena Williams in the US Open final. The victory made her the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title, and she subsequently reached a career-high ranking of No. 4.

Andreescu also praised her experience in Rovereto and expressed interest in returning to the Italian town, either to compete again or to take a vacation.

Her changing outlook on tennis was another subject of her post-match comments.

"I'm enjoying this sport more and more. And I think it shows on the court," Andreescu said.

Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, won the ITF W100 title in Edmond by defeating 16-year-old Kristina Liutova. The championship was her first since winning the WTA 250 tournament in Rouen in 2024 and the 11th professional singles title of her career across all levels, according to the WTA.

The improved ranking puts Stephens closer to the top 100 after a season that began outside the rankings' leading 1,000 players. Her position at No. 118 also gives her an opportunity to strengthen her standing ahead of the Australian Open qualifying competition.