Kratochvil deposes Rosset

Rosset's long tenure in the Swiss top two came to an end on Monday Keystone Archive

Marc Rosset's tennis career has suffered another downward turn with the publication of the latest world rankings. The 30-year-old Genevan slipped down to 70th place on Monday, losing his status as Swiss number two in the process.

After suffering a first round defeat at last week’s Hamburg tournament, Rosset has been overtaken in the rankings by Bern’s Michel Kratochvil.

Ironically Kratochvil himself failed to make it beyond the tournament’s qualifying round but was still able to climb three places to 66th, since the ATP’s rankings are based on improvements over a 12-month period.

Rosset had been a permanent fixture in the Swiss top two since the end of the 1980s.

Roger Federer remains clearly in front as the Swiss men’s number one, after holding onto 18th place in the world rankings.

In the women’s game, Switzerland’s Martina Hingis remains on top of the world, despite losing out to Amelie Mauresmo for the second week running at last week’s Italian Open.

The Swiss star’s lead over America’s world number two Venus Williams has shrunk, though, with less than 700 points now dividing the two arch-rivals.

ATP world rankings:

1, Gustavo Kuerten (Bra). 2, Marat Safin (Rus). 3, Andre Agassi (USA). 4, Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa). 5, Pete Sampras (USA). 6, Lleyton Hewitt (Aus). 7, Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus). 8, Patrick Rafter (Aus). 9, Magnus Norman (Swe). 10, Sebastien Grosjean (Fra).

18, Roger Federer. 66, Michel Kratochvil. 70, Marc Rosset. 113, George Bastl. 149, Ivo Heuberger. 225, Lorenzo Manta.

WTA world rankings:

1, Martina Hingis (Swi), 5,725 points. 2, Venus Williams (USA), 5,015. 3, Lindsay Davenport. 4, Jennifer Capriati (USA). 5, Amelie Mauresmo (Fra). 6, Monica Seles (USA). 7, Serena Williams, (USA). 8, Anna Kournikova, (Rus). 9, Elena Dementieva (Rus). 10, Conchita Martinez (Spa).

34, Patty Schnyder. 92, Miroslava Vavrinec. 112, Emmanuelle Gagliardi.

swissinfo with agencies