Serena Williams retains top spot in the WTA world rankings Monday heading into the US Open with Angelique Kerber snapping at her heals.

The top 10 in the rankings remains unchanged but Kerber, just 190 points behind the American, is hoping to alter that at the last grand slam of the season starting in New York.

Kerber had a chance earlier this month to unseat Williams at the Cincinnati Open but lost in a shock final defeat to Czech Karolina Pliskova.

WTA rankings

1. Serena Williams (USA) 7,050 pts

2. Angelique Kerber (GER) 6,860

3. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) 5,830

4. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 5,705

5. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,151

6. Venus Williams (USA) 4,005

7. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 3,551

8. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 3,465

9. Madison Keys (USA) 3,286

10. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 3,190

11. Karolína Plíšková (CZE) 3,135

12. Carla Suárez (ESP) 3,100

13. Dominika Cibulková (SVK) 3,100

14. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,905

15. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) 2,713 (+1)

16. Petra Kvitová (CZE) 2,580 (-1)

17. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 2,370

18. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2,195

19. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 2,101 (+4)

20. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2,054

Source: AFP