Latest ATP/WTA Rankings: Somdev falls five spots to 189th; Ankita jumps 26 places to 463

File Photo: Somdev Devvarman of India (Getty Images)

India’s highest ranked men’s singles player Somdev Devvarman dropped five places to be ranked 189^th in the latest ATP rankings. The latest drop in rankings can be attributed to Somdev’s opening exit in the ATP Tallahassee Challenger clay court tournament, where he went down fighting to 20-year-old American Denis Kudla in straight sets 6-7(4), 4-6.

Somdev had surged twenty-one spots in recent weeks following a creditable semi-final finish in the ATP Sarasota Challenger clay court tennis tournament, held in Florida, USA.

The Indian had prevailed over two players ranked higher than him en route to the men’s singles semifinals, where he was shown the championship exit door by eventual champion American Alex Kuznetsov of USA.

The Indian had toppled 93rd ranked Jesse Levine of Canada in the first round before disposing of 152nd ranked German Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals.

Clearly, the upstaging the likes of Levine and Zverev played a big part in Somdev’s climb in the latest ATP rankings.

The Indian, who went into the ATP Sarasota Challenger with an ATP ranking of 205, is on a comeback trail after a serious shoulder injury put him out of action for more than nine months in 2012.

Sondev has been regularly taking part in ATP events only since late last year. He had reached a career-high ATP ranking of 62 in July 2011. He recently locked horns with world number one Novak Djokovic in the third round of the Miami Masters and lost in straight sets to the Serb.

Somdev later atoned for his semi-final defeat in the men’s singles, by winning the men’s doubles crown, partnering Serbian Ilija Bozoljac, outduelling the American pair of Steve Johnson and Bradley Klahn in an intriguing clash.

Among the other Indian men’s singles players, there is not much good news as most of them slipped in rankings. Yuki Bhambri, who was given the top billing in the recent Chandigarh ITF Futures and was upset in the quarterfinals, fell six spots to be placed 268^th.

N Sriram Balaji also dropped eight spots to be ranked 335^th. Talented Sanam Singh slipped five places to occupy the 340^th spot.

However, Vishnu Vardhan was the one who suffered the biggest plunge – dropping 58 places to be ranked 404^th. Prakash Amritraj, son of legendary Vijay Amritraj, fell six spots to be ranked 370^th.

Saketh Myneni, who won the recently-concluded Chandigarh ITF Futures, beating Vijayant Malik in the final, moved up three spots to be placed 393.

Meanwhile, Ankita Raina surged 26 spots to be placed 463rd – to become the highest ranked women’s singes player in the country.

The Pune girl has been in rollicking form having made four consecutive ITF Futures final appearances. Ankita were runners-up in the two ITF Futures tournaments in Hyderabad before she went on to win the Chennai Futures. She finished runners-up in the recently Lucknow Futures.

Rishika Sunkara dropped five spots to be placed 480^th. Prerna Bhambri – cousin of Ankita and Sanaa Bhambri – dropped one spot to be ranked 513^th.

Prarthana Thombare made the biggest leap in ranking, surging 46 spots to be placed 578^th. Nidhi Chilumula also made a significant jump of 31 places to occupy the 583^rd spot.

Rutuja Bhosale dropped five spots to be placed 607th. Shweta Rana also advanced 52 places to hold the 668^th spot.