Bulgaria's Pironkova Climbs Up 31 Spots after Roland Garros

The highest-ranking Bulgarian female tennis player, Tsvetana Pironkova, will almost certainly qualify for the Rio Olympics after advancing up the WTA singles' ranking.

After reaching the quarterfinals of Roland Garros for the first time in her life (where she was defeated by Australia's Samantha Stosur), she is now ranked 71st with 944 points.

As many as 56 players - the first in the chart as of June 06 - qualify for the games. However, Pironkova stands a chance to be among those playing in Rio as a number of tennis players have not fulfilled a number of criteria. Others will be barred as a country cannot be represented by more than 4 tennis players.

Some media outlets speculate her participation depends on whether Maria Sharapova is allowed to go to Rio. If yes, the move could leave Pironkova just a stop away from the Olympic quota.

A final decision by the International Tennis Federation and the International Olympic Committee is due later this week.

Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria's highest-ranking tennis player, is meanwhile automatically qualified to play in Rio as he was ranked 36th, retaining his spot following Roland Garros.

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