Henin back in top 10, Nadal up to third in rankings

LONDON: 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. reuters

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