Team USA’s Marina Stefanoni reached a career high ranking of world No. 14 following PSA Silver Semifinal and PSA Gold Final appearances at the New Zealand Open and Australian Open in the latest rankings Monday, March 16.
Stefanoni has set numerous world ranking career highs so far this season–her second as a full-time professional including her debut in the world’s top twenty.
The twenty-three-year-old is in the best form of her young career this spring. In February Stefanoni reached the first PSA Gold semifinal of her career at the Texas Open. This month, the Harvard graduate backed up that performance on the other side of the world in New Zealand and Australia.
Stefanoni entered the New Zealand Open as the five seed. The American defeated Malaysian four seed and world No. 21 Aira Azman in a five-game quarterfinal to reach the semis where she met top seed and world No. Tinne Gilis. Gilis went on to take the semifinal in three games, but Stefanoni would get her revenge this weekend at the Australian Open where she was the seven seed.
Stefanoni upset seven seed and world No. 13 Salma Hany in a five-game quarterfinal to set up a rematch against Gilis, the Australian Open two seed. Stefanoni went on to win the semifinal 11-8, 4-11, 11-3, 11-8. Stefanoni would lose her first PSA Gold final against world No. 6 Sivasangari Subramaniam.
Stefanoni’s results sent her up four places in the world rankings from No. 19–a previous career high–to world No. 15 in the March 16 rankings. One week later, Stefanoni rose one more position to world No. 14.
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