Promotions and Demotions Following the 2015 Australian Open

The finals of the Australian Open are not yet played - and what finals promise these to be, with a Yokozuna/Ozeki (Djokovic/Murray) matchup in the mens' tournament, and two Yokozunas (Serena Williams, Sharapova) competing for the ladies' title.

But promotions and demotions have already been determined. With the top players dominating the tournament, there are many more demotions than promotions.

Ekaterina Makarova, Sekiwake

There are no promotions into the higher sanyaku (=championship) ranks. Quarterfinalists Kei Nishikori and Ekaterina Makarova (picture) both fell one win short of clearing the "great hurdle" to Ozeki (=Champion) and stay at Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I). Fellow quarterfinalist Venus Williams fell one win short of re-activiating her long dormant Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) status - another quarterfinal at one of the next three slams would be enough. 

All active Yokozuna stay active - the Dai-Yokozuna (=great Grand Champions) Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams as well as the "normal" Yokozuna Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova. Nadal needs to get to the quarterfinals at the French Open, however, to avoid that his Yokozuna status switches to dormant.

Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Eugenie Bouchard, and Simona Halep all hold rank at Ozeki, as all made the quarterfinals or better. Freshly baken Ozeki Marin Cilic missed the Australian Open and goes kadoban (has to reach the quarterfinals at the French Open to avoid demotion).

Petra Kvitova gets demoted to Sekiwake, after failing to back up her success at Wimbledon 2014 in the next two grand slams.

Nick Kyrgios, Komusubi

Semifinalist and Ex-Ozeki Tomas Berdych raises back up to Sekiwake (from Komusubi).

Two-time quarterfinalist Nick Kyrgios and semifinalist Madison Keys get first-time promotions into the sanyakyu ranks at Komusubi (=Junior Champion II). Quarterfinalist and ex-Sekiwake Milos Raonic holds rank at Komusubi.

Ex-Ozeki David Ferrer and Viktoria Azarenka both get demoted from Sekiwake to Komusubi after losing in round 4, as does Caroline Wozniacki. Gael Monfils, Shuai Peng, Sara Errani (ex-Sekiwake) and Na Li (retired ex-ozeki) drop out of the sanyaku ranks.

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Tomas Berdych (ex-Ozeki)	Sekiwake	Komusubi
Nick Kyrgios	Komusubi*	Maegashira
Madison Keys	Komusubi*	Maegashira
Demotions
Petra Kvitova	Sekiwake	Ozeki
David Ferrer (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Viktoria Azarenka (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Caroline Wozniacki	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Gael Monfils	Maegashira	Komusubi
Li Na (ex-Ozeki, retired)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Sara Errani (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Shuai Peng	Maegashira	Komusubi

* New career high