Saina had a chance of equalling her best-ever ranking of No.2 and finishing the largely successful year on a high but some of the results in the recent tournaments she participated did not go in her favour.
She lost in the semi-finals of the World Super Series Finals in China last week and retired controversially from the first round of the ongoing Syed Modi International India Grand Prix Gold Championship here.
Meanwhile, another rising star from Hyderabad, PV Sindhu dropped a place to be ranked 24th on the ranking chart.
Reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui replaced compatriot and current World Champion Wang Yihan as the World No.1.
In the men's singles, London Olympics quarter-finalist Parupalli Kashyap held on to his 20th position.