LONDON, June 6: Spaniard Rafael Nadal climbed to third in the men’s rankings after winning the French Open singles title while women’s champion Justine Henin-Hardenne has returned to the top 10.
Nadal ascended two places following his victory over Argentine Mariano Puerta 6-7 6-3 6-1 7-5 in Sunday’s final.
Only world number one Roger Federer, beaten by Nadal in the French Open semis, and Lleyton Hewitt, absent from Paris because of injury, now separate the 19-year-old from the summit of world tennis.
Puerta, unseeded at the French Open, rises 26 places to 11th in the rankings released on Monday.
Belgium’s Henin-Hardenne thrashed Mary Pierce 6-1, 6-1 in Saturday’s women’s singles final and has risen to seventh in the rankings from 12th.
The former world number one dropped out of the top 10 after January’s Australian Open which Henin-Hardenne missed through a knee injury after a virus disrupted her performances in late 2004. Pierce rises to 13th from 23rd.
ATP standings: 1. (1) Roger Federer (Switzerland) 6980 points; 2. (2) Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 3685; 3. (5) Rafael Nadal (Spain) 3600; 4. (3) Andy Roddick (US) 3590; 5. (4) Marat Safin (Russia) 3065; 6. (7) Andre Agassi (US) 2275; 7. (12) Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 2085; 8. (10) Guillermo Canas (Argentina) 1990; 9. (8) Tim Henman (Britain) 1780; 10. (13) Joachim Johansson (Sweden) 1620; 11. (37) Mariano Puerta (Argentina) 1618; 12. (6) Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) 1590; 13. (16) Tommy Robredo (Spain) 1515; 14. (9) Guillermo Coria (Argentina) 1490; 15. (21) David Ferrer (Spain) 1440; 16. (17) Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 1435; 17. (14) Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia) 1435; 18. (11) David Nalbandian (Argentina) 1385; 19. (15) Carlos Moya (Spain) 1330; 20. (19) Thomas Johansson (Sweden) 1323; 21. (24) Sebastien Grosjean (France) 1315; 22. (18) Mario Ancic (Croatia) 1315; 23. (22) Tommy Haas (Germany) 1285; 24. (26) Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) 1270; 25. (20) Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) 1246; 26. (28) Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) 1245; 27. (27) Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) 1185; 28. (23) Nicolas Massu (Chile) 1135; 29. (31) Richard Gasquet (France) 1120; 30. (29) Taylor Dent (US) 1095.