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.

WTA standings: 1. (1) Lindsay Davenport (US) 5247 points; 2. (2) Maria Sharapova (Russia) 4986; 3. (3) Amelie Mauresmo (France) 4285; 4. (4) Serena Williams (US) 3781; 5. (7) Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 3212; 6. (5) Elena Dementieva (Russia) 3087; 7. (12) Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) 3067; 8. (9) Nadia Petrova (Russia) 2610; 9. (8) Alicia Molik (Australia) 2469; 10. (6) Anastasia Myskina (Russia) 2287; 11. (10) Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 2230; 12. (11) Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 2075; 13. (23) Mary Pierce (France) 2002; 14. (14) Elena Bovina (Russia) 1758; 15. (19) Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 1746; 16. (13) Venus Williams (US) 1726; 17. (17) Kim Clijsters (Belgium) 1664; 18. (16) Nathalie Dechy (France) 1622; 19. (20) Tatiana Golovin (France) 1371; 20. (18) Jelena Jankovic (Serbia and Montenegro) 1320; 21. (31) Ana Ivanovic (Serbia and Montenegro) 1307; 22. (22) Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 1247; 23. (24) Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 1233; 24. (25) Silvia Farina Elia (Italy) 1219; 25. (21) Shinobu Asagoe (Japan) 1122; 26. (26) Ai Sugiyama (Japan) 1103; 27. (15) Jennifer Capriati (US) 1045; 28. (28) Karolina Sprem (Croatia) 1024; 29. (36) Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 990; 30. (34) Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) 979. —Reuters