Roddick, Verdasco up in ATP rankings

LONDON, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Andy Roddick and Fernando Verdasco each are up one spot in the world's men's tennis rankings, released Monday.

With the 2009 season winding down, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals are about three weeks away, the rankings become important because that's how its determined who gets invited to those finals.

Roddick, now ranked sixth, has locked up a spot in the eight-man field but the last two places are still undetermined, so Verdasco's move from ninth to eighth this week is a key move.

Roger Federer has a big lead over No. 2-rated Rafael Nadal for the No. 1 position while Novak Djokovic is third and Andy Murray, returning to play this week after recuperating from a wrist injury, is fourth. Juan Martin del Potro is still ranked No. 5 ahead of Roddick. Those six have slots assured for the finals in London.

Nikolay Davydenko dropped from sixth to seventh this week and Verdasco is eighth, giving them the edge for the final two places. But No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is just 240 ratings points back of Verdasco and 10th-ranked Robin Soderling another 60 points back.