Rafael Nadal’s magnificent run to a 10th French Open title has earned the Spaniard a move into second in the latest ATP world rankings published on Monday. The 31-year-old clinched his record-breaking Roland Garros crown by demolishing Stanislas Wawrinka in a one-sided final for a 15th Grand Slam crown on Sunday.
The Spaniard, who had slipped to as low as 10th in the world in 2015, triumphed 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 to become the first man in history to win the same major 10 times. Nadal’s two-place jump was at the expense of Novak Djokovic, whose French Open quarter-final exit against Dominic Thiem saw the Serb drop from second to fourth, his lowest ranking in eight years.
Andy Murray, beaten by Wawrinka in the semi-finals, continues to lead the list with Wawrinka treading water in third. Swiss ace Roger Federer, who had skipped the French Open, is at fifth place.
Rising star Alexander Zverev, who, only two weeks ago won his first major Masters title after defeating Djokovic at Rome, slipped to 10th in the table – the German was placed at ninth before the start of Roland Garros. However, he suffered a surprise first round exit in Paris. Meanwhile, Japanese Kei Nishikori moved to ninth after reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open, bowing out during a hard-fought battle against world no.1 Murray.
High-flying Ostapenko soars
Surprise French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko has broken into the WTA Top 20 for the first time, jumping 35 places to 12th in the latest rankings released on Monday. The unseeded 20-year-old Latvian stunned favourite Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 at Roland Garros on Saturday to become tennis’s most unlikely Grand Slam champion. Halep herself moved up two places to second in the world on the strength of her run to the final in Paris.
Ostapenko saw off Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals and the Dane’s progress to the last four saw her climb five rungs to seventh.
(With inputs from AFP)