Serena Will Break Evert's Record of Oldest Woman to be Ranked World No. 1

Doha, February 17 (QNA) - US tennis star Serena Williams will become the oldest woman player, from the time computer rankings were introduced in November 1975, to hold the top spot when she regains world No.1 ranking here Monday. The Florida resident will break the record held by former world No 1 Chris Evert who was 30 years, 11 months, 3 days when she last held the top spot in November 24, 1985. Williams will be 31 years, 4 months, 24 days when she take the top spot for the sixth time on February 18, ten years and seven months after she first scaled to the top on July 8, 2002, a super year in which she won three grand slam titles - French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. She held the position for 57 weeks. "I never thought I would be here again," Williams said after her quarterfinal win over Petra Kvitova at the Qatar Total Open that assured her of the accolade. "I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to get back to No.1. It has been a long road back and it's a great feeling. It has been a lot of hard work but I don't want to stop here." WTA Chairman & CEO Stacey Allaster, "This is another amazing accomplishment for a superstar champion who has played an integral role, over the past 15 years, in solidifying tennis as the global leader in women's sports. As we celebrate 40 years of the WTA this season, it seems fitting to have Serena, one of the sport's all-time greats and global icons, return to the World No.1 ranking." A stellar 2012 season helped Williams claim her 14th and 15th Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open, gold medals in singles and doubles at the Summer Olympics in London and the title at the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships - Istanbul. She finished the year with a 58-4 record and .935 winning percentage, the best single-season record since 2007 since Justine Henin, 63-4, .940). Williams began the 2013 season by claiming the title at the Brisbane International, bringing her career tally to 47 - the most among active players and 10th-most all-time. She followed that up with a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open. Williams first ascended to World No.1 on July 8, 2002 at 20 years old, spending a little over a year there. She returned to No.1 in September 2008 after a more than five year absence, which remains the longest gap between stays at No.1 in WTA history. Williams will be 31 years, 4 months and 24 days old when she starts her sixth stint at No.1, surpassing Chris Evert as oldest No.1. Martina Navratilova was next at 30 years, 9 months, 29 days when she was last No. 1 on August 16, 1987. Serena's reigns at the top spot are as follows:- July 8, 2002-August 10, 2003: 57 weeks; September 8, 2008-October 5, 2008: 4 weeks; February 2, 2009-April 19, 2009: 11 weeks; October 12, 2009-October 25, 2009: 2 weeks; November 2, 2009-October 10, 2010: 49 weeks; and from February 18, 2013 onwards. (QNA)