Ferrer gets closer to Nadal in rankings

LONDON, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- David Ferrer, fifth in the world tennis rankings, inched closer to No. 4 Rafael Nadal in the post-Davis Cup update Monday.

Spain's Ferrer earned 75 points for participating in the Davis Cup final this past weekend. He won both his matches but the Czech Republic, led by sixth-ranked Tomas Berdych, won the best-of-five series 3-2.

Ferrer and Berdych both won singles matches Friday and Berdych teamed with Radek Stepanek for a doubles win Saturday. Ferrer topped a tired Berdych, who played five sets Friday and four Saturday, in the first singles match Sunday. But Stepanak defeated Nicolas Almagro, giving the Czechs their first Davis Cup title.

Ferrer now has 6,505 points, just 290 points shy of countryman Nadal's total, which has slipped while Nadal is sidelined with a knee injury.

Berdych also gained 75 points, pulling to 4,680, which still leaves him close -- 200 points -- to No. 7 Juan Martin del Porto.

Novak Djokovic has 12,920 points for the No. 1 ranking, with Roger Federer second at 10,265 and Andy Murray in third with 8,000.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has 3,490 points for eighth place with Janko Tipsarevic (2,990) and Richard Gasquet (2,515) in ninth and 10th, respectively.