UNI 

New Delhi, May 22: Sania Mirza slipped three rungs to 38th ahead of her return to action in the Istanbul Open, while comeback queen Martina Hingis marched into the top-20 at 14th in the latest WTA rankings issued today.

Sania, who is seeded fifth in the Isatanbul Open, has 515.50 ranking points and remains the highest placed Indian in the list.

The Indian ace will open her campaign in Istanbul in the tier-III event against wild card entrant and local favourite Ipek Senoglu -- ranked way below at 889th in the WTA list, which continues to be headed by French Amelie Mauresmo (3272).

Meanwhile, Hingis, who quit playing owing to nagging foot and ankle injuries in 2002, has made a remarkable upward climb since coming back last year. The Swiss star -- ranked 9,999 last year -- won the Italian Open beating Dinara Safina yesterday and has now jumped to the 14th spot with 1160 ranking points ahead of the French Open next week.

Among other Indians in the list, the US-based Shikha Uberoi (155) remained static at 179 followed by Ankita Bhambri (56.25), who dropped 11 places, at 343.

Sister Sanaa (30.25) slipped 24 places to 475th and the only notable improvement was made by veteran Rushmi Chakravarthi (33.75), who improved six places to 440th.

The top 10 remain unchanged with Belgian Kim Clijsters (3048) at the second spot. Russians Nadia Petrova (2620) and Maria Sharapova (2543) are third and fourth respectively.

The Top 10: 1. Amelie Mauresmo (France), 2. Kim Clijsters (Belgiam), 3. Nadia Petrova (Russia), 4. Maria Sharapova (Russia), 5. Justine Henin-Hardenne, 6. Mary Pierce (France), 7. Lindsay Davenport (USA), 8. Elena Dementieva (Russia), 9. Patty Schnyder (Switzerland), 10. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia).