Azarenka 49th in WTA rankings

Following the 2015 Australian Open, Belarus number one Victoria Azarenka moved down from 44th to 49th position in the WTA rankings.

Victoria Azarenka was back to form after an injury-blighted season to win three matches on the Melbourne Park courts before losing to Slovak Dominika Cibulkova in the round of Last 16.

The 2015 Australian Open triumphant Serena Williams remains atop of the WTA rankings. Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki has climbed up from the eighth to the fifth position. Russia's Yekaterina Makarova has entered the WTA top ten after reaching the 2015 Australian Open semifinal.

The top ten players, according to the current WTA rankings, are as follows:

1. Serena Williams (USA) - 9,776 points

2. Maria Sharapova (Russia) - 8,210

3. Simona Halep (Romania) - 6,571

4. Petra Kvitova (the Czech Republic) - 6,480

5. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) – 4,565

6. Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) - 4,425

7. Eugenie Bouchard (Canada) – 4,365

8. Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) - 4,270

9. Yekaterina Makarova (Russia) – 3,285

10. Angelique Kerber (Germany) - 3,130.

Victoria Azarenka holds 998 points. This week (4-7 February) she will play at the Fed Cup Euro/Africa (Group I) Zone qualification in Budapest as part of the Belarusian national team. The Belarusian team will also comprise Alexandra Sasnovich (World No.145), Olga Govortsova (156) and 16-year-old Vera Lapko (838) who will replace injured Irina Shimanovich (441). Victoria Azarenka will arrive in the Hungarian capital on 3 February. The other Belarusian tennis players have already been training in Budapest under coach Tatiana Poutchek.

Belarus will face Portugal, Bulgaria and Georgia in Pool C. Team Belarus is currently ranked 24th, Portugal 32nd, Bulgaria 36th, and Georgia 39th.

Pool A comprises Austria, Hungary and Serbia. Pool B includes the UK, Lichtenstein, Turkey and Ukraine. Pool D will comprise Belgium, Israel, Latvia and Croatia.

Winners of Groups A and B as well as best teams in Groups C and D will form two pairs to face each other in the play-off round to compete for a place in World Group II.