By Chris Soderstrom
Serena Williams will relinquish her No. 1 ranking on Monday after a shock loss to China’s Li Na in the second round of the $650,000 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Open in Stuttgart.
The US Open champion’s four week reign at No. 1 will end on Monday when the new rankings are announced. She will make way for Flushing Meadow’s runner-up Jelena Jankovic.
Having enjoyed a first round bye, Serena’s fate was sealed after losing to her Chinese opponent 0-6, 6-1, 6-4, but she refused to dwell on what could have been.
“Obviously I want to be No.1 but I am not focusing on that,” the 27-year-old said afterwards. “I am focusing on winning titles and that goes hand in hand [with getting No.1].”
“I am not worried. It will come again if I win tournaments. I play to win titles and Grand Slams, although obviously the No.1 is also on my mind.”
There was an exodus of seeded players from the German Open with fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and Polish eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska losing to Patty Schnyder and Victoria Azarenka respectively.