SA duo surge up ATP rankings

Soweto - South African tennis players Izak van der Merwe and Rik de Voest have shot up the ATP world rankings after reaching the final of the Soweto Open.

Van der Merwe, who won the men's singles title at the ATP Challenger tournament on Sunday, defeating his countryman 6-7 (7/4), 7-5, 6-3 in a rain disrupted final, climbed 18 places up the rankings released on Monday to a career best 134th.

De Voest rose 26 places to 158th, still some 40 places off his career best achieved in August 2006.

South Africa's highest ranked player, Kevin Anderson, who did not turn out in Soweto, dropped two positions to 35th.

The country's top women's player, Chanelle Scheepers, climbed one place to 76th in the WTA rankings.