Andy Murray gained some consolation for his straight sets defeat to Novak Djokovic in the Paris Masters final Sunday by regaining the world No. 2 spot. The Scot was edged for second place by Roger Federer last week, but his run into the Paris final, coupled with Federer's early loss to John Isner, reversed the positions. That could be significant for Murray at next week's ATP World Tour Finals in London as he could expect an easier draw for the group stages. Already the two-time major tournament champion has his end-of-season sights firmly set on Britain's Davis Cup final against Belgium in Ghent from Nov. 27-29. To that avail, Murray wasted no time Monday in getting some practice in on an indoor claycourt at Queens Club, as that is the surface chosen by the Belgians for the final, which gets underway just five days after the World Tour Finals week. Britain has not won the Davis cup since 1936 and was last in the final in 1978. ATP world top 20: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 15,285; 2. Andy Murray (GBR) 8,470 (+1); 3. Roger Federer (SUI) 7,340 (-1); 4. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6,500; 5. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4,630 (+1); 6. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 4,620 (-1); 7. David Ferrer (ESP) 4,305 (+1); 8. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,035 (-1); 9. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 2,715; 10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 2,545. Venus and Serena reunited Venus Williams' victory in the Zhuhai Masters in China over the weekend sees her climb from 11th to seventh in the latest WTA standings dominated by her sister Serena. At 35-years-old Venus thereby becomes the oldest woman to have featured in the WTA top 10 since Martina Navratilova, who was 38-years-old in 1995. The five-time Wimbledon and two-time Flushing Meadows champion is a former WTA rankings leader, a position she last held back in February 2002. Towering over her rivals atop the rankings by a wide margin stands the younger of the Williams sisters Serena, 34, with a whopping 9,945 points, while Romania's Simona Helep is second on 6,060 and Spain's Garbine Muguruza on 5,200. The beaten finalist at Zhuhai, Karolina Pliskova, also climbed two places with the Czech clinching 11th place. Latest WTA rankings: 1. Serena Williams (USA) 9,945 pts; 2. Simona Halep (ROM) 6,060; 3. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) 5,200; 4. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 5,011; 5. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 4,500; 6. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,220; 7. Venus Williams (USA) 3,790 (+4); 8. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 3,621 (-1); 9. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 3,590 (-1); 10. Angelique Kerber (GER) 3,590 (-1). — Agencies
