Hamburg - Serena Williams of the United States retained top spot in the women's tennis rankings issued on Monday by the WTA while Russian Dinara Safina drew closer to her despite a quarter-final exit last week in Indian Wells.

Williams remained on 9,432 as she didn't play in the Californian Masters event, while Safina improved to 9,121 points. Third-placed Serb Jelena Jankovic has 7,985 points.

Hamburg - American Serena Williams remains top of an unchanged women's tennis rankings issued Monday by the WTA ruling body.

Williams leads the rankings with 9,432 points followed by Russia's Dinara Safina on 9,021.

WTA top 10 as of March 9 (previous ranking in parenthesis):

Hamburg - American Serena Williams remains top of an unchanged women's tennis rankings issued Monday by the WTA ruling body.

Williams leads the rankings with 9,982 points followed by Russia's Dinara Safina on 9,021.

Sister Venus Williams, who won the WTA tournament in Acapulo on the weekend, beating Italy's Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-2 in the final, remains fifth.

WTA top 10 as of March 2 (previous ranking in parenthesis):

Hamburg - American Serena Williams remains top of a virtually unchanged women's tennis rankings issued Monday by the WTA ruling body.

Williams leads the rankings with 9,982 points followed by Russia's Dinara Safina on 9,021.

Sister Venus Williams moves up one place to fifth, leapfrogging Russian Vera Zvonareva while Ana Ivanovic of Serbia is also up one spot to seventh.

WTA top 10 as of February 23 (previous ranking in parenthesis):

Dubai, UAE  - Serena Williams eased through in her first match since withdrawing from a Paris semi-final, overcoming a slow start to get past Sara Errani 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 at the Barclays Championships on Tuesday.

The world number one Australian Open champion had withdrawn in France due to knee pain but showed little sign of discomfort against Errani for a place in the third round.

Williams needed to kick into gear after losing the opening set, storming in the second but double-faulting away two set points in the seventh game.

Hamburg - American Serena Williams remains top of an unchanged women's tennis rankings issued Monday by the WTA ruling body.

Williams, who withdrew from the semi-finals of the Open GDF Suez tournament in Paris with an injury, giving Elena Dementieva a walk- over into the final, leads the rankings by 482 points from Russian Dinara Safina.

WTA top 10 as of February 16 (previous ranking in parenthesis):