NEW DELHI: Yuki Bhambri today broke back into the top-100 for the first time since February 2016 following his-title winning performance at the Taipei Challenger as he leapfrogged 22 places to a career-best rank of 83.
This is the best rank an Indian has achieved in ATP singles chart since Somdev Devvarman touched a career-high 62 in July 2011.
Yuki had first broken into top-100 late in 2015 but injuries did not allow him to climb further. However, the resilient 25-year-old has worked his way back to top-100 which, if maintained, will allow him direct entry into the Grand Slams and the ATP 1000 series Masters event.
“It’s only the beginning, I have to move up a lot more and I am looking forward to the challenge,” Yuki said.
Asked if top-50 was a realistic target for him, Yuki said, “Not at the moment. Too far.”
Yuki has always maintained that he has the game to challenge the best players and has proved with his recent big wins over world number 12 Lucas Puillee (Indian Wells, March 2018) and world number 22 Gael Monfils (Washington, August 2017).
His Davis Cup teammate Ramkumar Ramanathan too rose to a career-best 116 as he jumped 17 places after ending runner-up to Yuki in Taipei.
Sumit Nagal though lost two places to be 215 and was followed by Prajnesh Gunneswaran (266) and Arjun Kadhe (394).
In the doubles, Divij Sharan further improved his career-best rank by moving up to 41, a gain of one place. Leander Paes, who became the most successful doubles player in Davis Cup, lost four places to be in 49th position.
Rohan Bopanna is leading the doubles chart for India at number 19.
Meanwhile, Ankita Raina too improved on her career-best rank as she jumped three places to 194 while Karman Kaur Thandi dropped a place to 268.
In the doubles, out of action Sania Mirza was unchanged at number 24. (AGENCIES)
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