Paris: Russian Maria Sharapova overtook Czech Petra Kvitova to take the world number two spot in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday.

Sharapova was beaten in the quarter-finals of the Paris Open last week by Germany's Angelique Kerber, who went on to take the title, but the former world number one benefitted from the absence of last year's Paris winner Kvitova.

Kvitova drops to third while Kerber moves up five places to 22nd.

Rankings

1. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 8585 pts

2. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 7680 (+1)

3. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 7320 (-1)

4. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 7085

5. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 5430

6. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 5330

7. Marion Bartoli (FRA) 4890

8. Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 4690

9. Li Na (CHN) 4450

10. Andrea Petkovic (GER) 3950

11. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 3640

12. Serena Williams (USA) 3580

13. Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 3295

14. Sabine Lisicki (GER) 3117

15. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2735

16. Peng Shuai (CHN) 2580 (+1)

17. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 2575 (-1)

18. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 2526 (+1)

19. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 2525 (-1)

20. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 2450

21. Julia Goerges (GER) 2435

22. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2415 (+5)