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SPORTS Wednesday 13 June 2018

Nadal, Halep 1st pair of No. 1

French Open champs since 1992

By HOWARD FENDRICH ter reaching the semifinals. first Grand Slam trophy af-
, AP Tennis Writer At No. 72, he was the low- ter three losses in major fi-
PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal est-ranked semifinalist in 19 nals. "The fact that I could
and Simona Halep needed years. be No. 1 in the world last
strong French Open show- The 25-year-old Italian had year gave me confidence
ings to hold onto their top never won a Grand Slam and gave me, like, a lit-
rankings. They did just that, match before this French tle bit of relief, because I
becoming the first pair of Open, but he beat Novak touched something, some-
ATP and WTA No. 1s to both Djokovic in the quarterfi- thing big, something huge," Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning the men's final match
win the title at Roland Gar- nals after also eliminating Halep said, "and I just had of the French Open tennis tournament against Austria's Dominic
ros since Jim Courier and players seeded No. 8 and in my mind to win a Grand Thiem in three sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, at the Roland Garros stadium in
Monica Seles in 1992. 10. Slam after that."q Paris, France, Sunday, June 10, 2018.
Nadal sits barely ahead Halep, Caroline Wozniacki Associated Press
of No. 2 Roger Federer on and Garbine Muguruza
Monday, with a 100-point remained the WTA's top
lead of 8,770 to 8,670. three, but French Open
They would have switched runner-up Sloane Stephens
places if the Spaniard had went from No. 10 to a ca-
failed to win his record-ex- reer-high No. 4.
tending 11th championship Madison Keys, who lost to
Sunday. Stephens in the semifinals,
"Today is all about Roland is now No. 10 after entering
Garros," Nadal said after the tournament at No. 13.
defeating Dominic Thiem Last year's champion in
6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in Sunday's fi- Paris, Jelena Ostapenko,
nal. "I don't think about the dropped from No. 5 to No.
rankings at all today, no?" 12 with a first-round exit this
Alexander Zverev is No. 3, time. She was the first reign-
nearly 3,000 rankings points ing women's champion to
further back. lose her opening match
Juan Martin del Potro at the French Open since
jumped two spots to No. 4 2004.
by reaching his first French Halep, who first grabbed
Open semifinal in nine the top ranking last Octo-
years, and Thiem rose one ber, could have been over-
place to No. 7 by reaching taken by five women if she
his first Grand Slam final. didn't at least get to the
Marco Cecchinato made semifinals at Roland Garros.
the biggest move in the But Halep not only made it
ATP top 100, going up 45 to the semifinals, she beat
spots to No. 27 — putting 2017 U.S. Open champion
him in line for a Wimbledon Stephens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the
seeding next month — af- title match Saturday for her