Anderson returns to Top 30

Johannesburg - Kevin Anderson has climbed back into the top 30 in the global men's tennis rankings after a breakthrough performance at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Anderson, the SA men's No 1, rose two positions to 29th - one place below his career best position - in the latest ratings list released on Monday.

The lanky South African reached the fourth round of the year's first Grand Slam, for his best performance in a top-tier ATP tournament, before he was eliminated by world No 6 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.

Chanelle Scheepers, South Africa's top-ranked women's player, climbed one place in the WTA rankings to 64th, despite being knocked out by Czech player Klara Zakopalova in the first round of the women's singles at the Australian Open.

Meanwhile, promising SA women's player Chanel Simmonds, 20, soared 187 positions up the WTA ratings list to settle in 173rd position.

Simmonds fell at the final qualifying hurdle in her attempt to reach the main draw of the Australian Open, going down 4-6, 6-1, 8-6 against Portugal's Michelle Larcher de Brito.