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A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 18 July 2017
Federer up to ATP No. 3 after Wimbledon; Muguruza WTA No. 5

By HOWARD FENDRICH on Monday — leaving her Federer’s placement is his
AP Tennis Writer out of the top 10 for the first highest since he was No. 3
LONDON (AP) — Roger Fe- time since April 1, 2012. in August 2016, at the start
derer’s eighth Wimbledon The rankings count points of his half-year hiatus from
title pushed him back up to from the preceding 52 the tour. He has spent a
No. 3 in the ATP rankings on weeks, which is why Plis- total of 302 weeks as the
Monday after he ended kova is able to take over ATP’s No. 1 player in his ca-
last season at No. 16. at No. 1 despite losing in reer, a record.
And, because he sat out the second round at the All One of Federer’s coaches,
the last half of 2016, his England Club. Severin Luthi, was asked
points will only continue Pliskova, a 25-year-old from about aiming to return to
to accumulate, making a the Czech Republic, has the top spot.
return to No. 1 a real pos- never won a Grand Slam “If it comes, for sure, it’s
sibility. title — she’s not the first amazing,” Luthi said. “But
“I’m playing for titles at this player to top the rankings for him, (winning majors is)
stage of my career. Rank- without that achievement more important.”
ings, not so much, unless The 2017 Wimbledon singles champions Roger Federer of Swit- on her resume — although Andy Murray held onto
I’m as close as I am right zerland and Garbine Muguruza of Spain pose with their trophies she was the runner-up to No. 1 despite losing in the
now,” said the 35-year-old at the Champions Dinner at The Guildhall in London, early Mon- Kerber at last year’s U.S. quarterfinals of his title de-
Federer, who also clinched day July 17, 2017. Open and a semifinalist at fense at the All England
a berth in the season-end- Associated Press Roland Garros last month. Club, ahead of No. 2 Ra-
ing ATP Finals, held in Lon- nus Williams goes from No. gelique Kerber. Kerber lost in the first round fael Nadal, who lost in the
don on Nov. 12-19. So I just 11 to No. 9. Serena Williams has not at the French Open, then fourth round of Wimbledon
have to check the situa- Karolina Pliskova became competed since January the fourth round of Wim- after winning the French
tion, if it’s worth it to run af- the 23rd woman to be because she is pregnant. bledon. Simona Halep had Open. Novak Djokovic re-
ter it or not.” Garbine Mu- ranked No. 1, a debut for By losing rankings points a chance to be No. 1 this mained at No. 4, while Stan
guruza’s first championship her that was guaranteed she earned last year, in- week but lost to Johanna Wawrinka dropped two
at the All England Club last week, based on results cluding a title at Wimble- Konta in the Wimbledon spots to No. 5 after a first-
returned her to the WTA’s at Wimbledon. She had don and runner-up finish quarterfinals. So Halep con- round exit. Wimbledon run-
top 10 at No. 5, a rise of 10 been No. 3, and swaps po- at the French Open, she tinues at No. 2, with Konta ner-up Marin Cilic stayed at
spots, while runner-up Ve- sitions with former No. 1 An- went from No. 4 to No. 15 going from No. 7 to No. 4. No. 6.q