Venus back in top 20 in new rankings

LONDON – Venus Williams climbed 14 spots in the world rankings on Monday, following her triumph at Wimbledon, to re-enter the top 20 for the first time in a year.

The American soared to 17th in the world after she defeated France’s Marion Bartoli to claim her fourth singles title at the All England Club on Sunday. Williams’s ranking had nosedived after injury restricted her to just six events in 2006.Despite entering Wimbledon ranked 31st in the world and seeded 23, she walked away with the top prize.Bartoli also reaped the benefits of her surprise run to the final by jumping eight places to a career-high 11th.There was no change in the top three with Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic preserving their places.In the men’s standings led by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon semi-finalists Novak Djokovic and Richard Gasquet are both enjoying career-high rankings.While Serbian Djokovic leapfrogged Andy Roddick and Nikolay Davydenko into third, France’s Gasquet entered the top 10 for the first time at number seven.Nampa-ReutersWilliams’s ranking had nosedived after injury restricted her to just six events in 2006.Despite entering Wimbledon ranked 31st in the world and seeded 23, she walked away with the top prize.Bartoli also reaped the benefits of her surprise run to the final by jumping eight places to a career-high 11th.There was no change in the top three with Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic preserving their places.In the men’s standings led by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon semi-finalists Novak Djokovic and Richard Gasquet are both enjoying career-high rankings.While Serbian Djokovic leapfrogged Andy Roddick and Nikolay Davydenko into third, France’s Gasquet entered the top 10 for the first time at number seven.Nampa-Reuters