Youzhny edges back to No. 10 ranking

LONDON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Mikhail Youzhny returned to the Top 10 of the men's world tennis rankings without appearing in a tournament last week.

There were three ATP tournaments during the week but the fields lacked the world's top players who took the week off after the Australian Open. That left the top of the men's rankings almost unchanged.

However, Youzhny was able to edge past Jurgen Melzer and take the No. 10 ranking by 10 rankings points. Melzer didn't play last week either but in 2010, the week after the Australian Open, he appeared in the Zagreb Open, losing in the first round but gaining 32 rankings points. With those points gone in 2011, he fell to a total of 2,910 points, just enough for Youzhny (2,920) to move up one spot to 10th.

That could change again as both are entered in a tournament in the Netherlands and could meet in the semifinals.

A rankings shake-up could come next Monday because 10 of the Top 15 players return to action this week.

One change that won't occur is at the top spot. Rafael Nadal has a total of 12,390 points and will extend his reign at No. 1 well past the current 36 consecutive weeks and 82 weeks total.

Roger Federer (7,965 points) is second with Novak Djokovic (7,880) a close third. Like Nadal, neither is playing this week.

Robin Soderling (5,955) is fourth ahead of No. 5 Andy Murray (5,760), sixth-ranked David Ferrer (4,570) and No. 7 Tomas Berdych (4,270). All are in the field in the Netherlands tournament.

Andy Roddick (3,385) sits in the No. 8 spot and Fernando Verdasco (2,920) is ninth.