Serena Williams dethrones Safina atop women's rankings

Federer top as Djokovic closes in on top three

 Serena Williams of the United States returned to the top of the women's tennis rankings in the latest list issued Monday by the WTA, dethroning Russian Dinara Safina by a mere five points.
Williams has 7,945 points to Safina's 7,940, with Venus Williams third on 6,445 points.
Roger Federer maintained first place in the latest men's tennis rankings issued on Monday by the ATP as Novak Djokovic closed in on the top three with a Beijing title the previous day.
The Swiss Federer leads the way with 11,255 points from Spanish rival Rafael Nadal, who has 8,945 after returning last week to action from injury.
Briton Andy Murray has 8,390 for the third place. But he is under threat from Djokovic, on 7,740 after winning in China in his aim to return into the top three.The slimmest leading margin since the current ranking system was introduced in 1996 came after Safina went out in the second round and Williams in the third at the China Open.
Serena Williams gained the top spot for the first time in 2002 and last occupied it in April 2009.
Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova moved from sixth to fourth courtesy of the Beijing title on Sunday, with finalist Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland back in the top 10 in 10th place.
WTA top 10 as of October 12 (previous ranking in parenthesis):
1.  (2) Serena Williams, United States, 7,945 points
2.  (1) Dinara Safina, Russia, 7,940
3.  (3) Venus Williams, United States, 6,445
4.  (6) Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia, 5,981
5.  (4) Elena Dementieva, Russia, 5,875
6.  (5) Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark, 5,575
7.  (7) Vera Zvonareva, Russia 4,810
8.  (9) Victoria Azarenka, Belarus, 4,590
9.  (8) Jelena Jankovic, Serbia, 3,965
10. (11) Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland, 3,710

ATP top 10 as of October 12 (previous ranking in parenthesis):
1.  (1) Roger Federer, Switzerland, 11,255 points
2.  (2) Rafael Nadal, Spain, 8,945
3.  (3) Andy Murray, Britain, 8,390
4.  (4) Novak Djokovic, Serbia, 7,740
5.  (5) Juan Martin del Potro, Argentina, 6,555
6.  (6) Andy Roddick, United States, 4,830
7.  (7) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France, 4,100
8.  (8) Nikolay Davydenko, Russia, 3,710
9.  (9) Fernando Verdasco, Spain, 3,400
10. (10) Gilles Simon, France, 3,285