Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna today officially returned to top-10 in the ATP ranking doubles chart, securing a direct entry into the men's doubles event of the Rio Olympic Games.
After exiting the French Open at quarterfinal stage, Bopanna needed defending champions Marcelo Melo and Ivan Dodig to lose in the semi-finals to return to top-10.
As Melo and Dodig lost, Bopanna today gained a position to be ranked 10 in the doubles chart issued today.
Veteran Leander Paes, who also made the quarterfinals, gained five places to be placed 46 now.
Bopanna being a top-10 player not only gets a direct entry but also has the choice to pick his partner for the men's doubles event irrespective of his ranking.
The next best players in the doubles for India are Purav Raja (103) Divij Sharan (114), Saketh Myneni (125), Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (134) and Mahesh Bhupathi (164).
In the singles, out-of-action Yuki Bhambri has now slipped six more places to 147 and is followed by Saketh (150) and Ramkumar Ramanathan (224).
In the women's doubles chart, Sania Mirza continued to be joint world number one with Swiss partner Martina Hingis. Prarthana Thombare was second-highest ranked player at number 209.
In the singles, Ankita Raina dropped out of top-300 as she lost 10 spots to be 306.
(REOPENS SPD 5)
Reacting to his improved rankings, Bopanna said, "Really proud to have qualified into the top 10 rankings,Brink of RIO Olympics deadline ??. #GoalsWithDreams," he tweeted.
