Amelie Mauresmo failed to regain the world number one spot when Nadia Petrova beat her 6-3 7-5 in the Qatar Open final on Saturday.
France's Mauresmo, winner of three tournaments this year, could have overtaken top-ranked Belgian Kim Clijsters, who was inactive through injury this week, in Monday's WTA rankings if she had beaten the Russian.
Second-seeded world number eight Petrova took the final on her first match point after one and three quarter hours for her second career title.
