New USA Career-High Rankings, July 14, 2014

Each week I will endeavor to bring you a list of USAmerican players who have reached a new career-high ranking. This list is not exhaustive but will cover most players in the Top 1000. 

New WTA Career-High Rankings - July 14, 2014 (previous high & date achieved in parentheses)

Coco Vandeweghe -- 41 (42 - 7/7/2014)

Vicky Duval -- 90 (92 - 7/7/2014)

Shelby Rogers -- 104 (109 - 3/31/2014)

Grace Min -- 114 (128 - 6/19/2013)

Louisa Chirico -- 140 (150 - 7/7/2014)

Bernarda Pera -- 340 (354 - 10/7/2013)

Danielle Lao -- 402 (445 - 7/7/2014)

Denise Muresan -- 428 (431 - 7/7/2014)

Katerina Stewart -- 543 (547 - 7/7/2014)

Peggy Porter -- 544 (594 - 6/9/2014)

Christina Makarova -- 591 (593 - 6/16/2014)

Karina Vyrlan -- 756 (772 - 6/16/2014)

Alexa Guarachi -- 825 (835 - 7/7/2014)

Tornado Alicia Black -- 863 (870 - 7/7/2014)

Emma Higuchi -- 984 (987 - 6/9/2014)

Michaela Gordon -- 986 (988 - 5/19/2014)

Rianna Valdes -- 993 (997 - 7/7/2014)

The brilliant run by Shelby Rogers this past week to the final in Bad Gastein lifted her 43 spots and a mere 24 points away from the Top 100. That may well be enough for direct entry to the US Open, the rankings cut-off for which is this week. Either way, it's a welcome respite from her nine-game losing street earlier this year, and an exciting springboard for the summer. She does have 100 points to defend through the rest of the month, but then nothing until after the US Open. Should be interesting.

Grace Min also got a big boost from her Bad Gastein semifinal, but will likely be just outside the Open cut-off (I'm guessing she'll get a wildcard). USTA folks and others have been waiting for a Min breakthrough for a couple of years now (check out this 2012 "Vanguard" New York Times article). She only has 42 points to defend through the summer, so with a couple of decent draws, a Top 100 debut this year is quite possible.

The other three key movers are Chirico and Lao, due to their querterfinals at the $50K in Sacramento, and Pera, who is up 19 spots from last week thanks to her title at a $15K in the Netherlands at the end of June.  An interesting tidbit about Pera: she's only every played FOUR pro tournaments in the USA. Two this year and two in 2011.

New ATP Career-High Rankings - July 14, 2014 (previous high & date achieved in parentheses)

Jack Sock -- 69 (74 - 4/28/2014)

Austin Krajicek -- 188 (201 - 5/19/2014)

Dennis Novikov -- 450 (457 - 8/12/2013)

Mackenzie McDonald -- 480 (482 - 7/7/2014)

Noah Rubin -- 532 (536 - 7/7/2014)

Ernesto Escobedo -- 582 (593 - 7/7/2014)

Devin McCarthy -- 589 (590 - 7/7/2014)

Kyle McMorrow -- 722 (749 - 7/7/2014)

Raymond Sarmiento -- 964 (969 - 7/7/2014)

Deiton Baughman -- 974 (1029 - 5/26/2014)

Spencer Papa -- 985 (1413 - 2/25/2013)

Ryan Shane -- 1093 (1096 - 7/7/2014)

Tommy Paul -- 1201 (1253 - 7/7/2014)

Again this week, not too much movement at the top, although a tip of the hat must be given to Jack Sock for reaching his first ATP semifinal in Newport immediately after his doubles crown at Wimbledon. Also in Newport, Krajicek qualified, then got his first ATP win (in four attempts), and a welcome debut into the Top 200. He's hoping for a big week in Binghamton, as he has 56 points coming off (from a Canadian Futures win and last year's Binghamton semi). But then he's golden through the Open.

Speaking of Canadian Futures, Novikov gets his points from his semifinal a week ago in Kelowna. Just 6 weeks ago, the guy was #611. But a 13-2 run in that period has put him back on track.

Finally, the youngsters: Baughman, Papa, and Paul all up 50+ spots thanks to their match wins at the Mexico F8 tournament.  Papa's final was the most impressive, as he came through qualies to get there.  

(Oh, and a special shout-out to Noah Rubin, who has posted career highs for 6 straight weeks despite not playing a pro event since May!)