Rafael Nadal fifth in ATP rankings after victory at Monte Carlo
Rafael Nadal moved up to fifth in the latest ATP rankings released today a day after claiming a record 10th Monte Carlo title. Spain’s 30-year-old king of clay won his 50th trophy on his favourite surface, his 70th overall and his first title in almost a year as he beat compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-3 in just 76 minutes.
Ramos-Vinolas, 29, who had upset number one Andy Murray and Marin Cilic in the best run of his career, moved up five places to a career-high 19th.
Britain’s Murray remains top ahead of Serb Novak Djokovic and Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who were all early casualties in Monte Carlo. post shortly afterwards but her Los Angeles-based publicist Kelly Bush Novak later confirmed that the player, who is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, was indeed expecting her first child.
It seems likely she was several weeks pregnant when she won this year’s Australian Open to move to within one grand slam title of matching Australian Margaret Court’s record of 24.
Her message on Monday appears to underline her resolve to return to action next year.
Despite not having played since January when she moved ahead of Steffi Graf as the most successful tennis player in the professional era by beating sister Venus in the Australian Open final, she replaced Germany’s Angelique Kerber as world number one in the rankings on Monday.
The poster girl of women’s tennis won’t necessarily be welcomed back with open arms by rivals who were already suspicious of the towering Russian’s ice-cold detachment even before her fall from grace.
However, Sharapova isn’t losing any sleep as the 30-year-old prepares for her first match since being defeated by Serena Williams in the 2016 Australian Open quarter-finals
“That is the least of my concerns. I know that I am respected in my field. I see it in how my opponents play against me,” said Sharapova.
She was controversially handed a wild card into this week’s Stuttgart event, a clay court tournament sponsored by Porsche, one of her headline backers.
The tennis star was even given a Wednesday start as that’s the day her ban -- imposed for testing positive for meldonium at last year’s Australian Open -- comes to an end.
Sharapova, who starts her Stuttgart campaign against Italian veteran Roberta Vinci, had been taking the over-the-counter cardiac supplement when it was within the rules, but was later reclassified as a prohibited drug.