Tsonga Closes In On Return To Top 10
Fatherhood appears to suit Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. More than two months on since the birth of his son, Shugar (18 March), the Frenchman has captured his third ATP World Tour crown of the year, the most since 2009 (3).
The 32-year-old Tsonga rose two spots today to No. 11 in the Emirates ATP Rankings after beating Tomas Berdych in the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon final. His victory, marking his first clay-court crown, added to title runs in February at the Open 13 in Marseille and the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.
Tsonga, who was last in the Top 10 in the week of 17 April, first placed among the elite competitors on 3 November 2008. The former World No. 5 will be hoping to soon add to his 256 total weeks in the Top 10.
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While World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka did not experience a rise in the Emirates ATP Rankings as a result of retaining his title at the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open, the player he beat in the final, Mischa Zverev, jumped two spots to No. 31. It is one place shy of the German’s career-high No. 30 (27 February 2017).
Former World No. 10 Kevin Anderson continues his rise after a number of injury woes. The amiable South African advanced to the Geneva quarter-finals and moved up six places to No. 56. Another player who has been sidelined, Serbia’s former World No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic, is now up to No. 58 after a two-spot jump.
Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili reached his third ATP World Tour semi-final (or better) of 2017 in Lyon, where he lost to eventual titlist Tsonga. He surged up eight positions to No. 63, 10 places off his career-high of No. 53 (20 February 2017). He already has a career-best 16 match wins this season.
Andrey Kuznetsov advanced to his first ATP World Tour semi-final since the Apia International Sydney in January and was rewarded with a 12-place rise to No. 73 after a strong week in Geneva (l. to Wawrinka).
Argentinean Nicolas Kicker surged up seven spots to a career-high No. 87 after qualifying for the Lyon main draw and beating No. 19-ranked Nick Kyrgios en route to reaching the quarter-finals (l. to Basilashvili).