Berankis secures spot as first Lithuanian tennis player in Olympics

Despite falling from his personal best 50th place to 54th in the Association of Tennis Professionals’ (ATP) rankings with a score of 890 points, the 25-year-old Lithuanian star needed to remain within the top 56 as of Monday to earn a spot in the Olympics.

Over all, 64 tennis players will compete in the Olympics – 56 from the ATP’s ratings, 6 who passed their qualifications, and 2 who receive personal invitations.

27-year-old Latvian Ernestas Gulbis may also participate in the games in Rio de Janeiro. He recently jumped to 59th place. However, only four players from each country will be able to participate in the Olympics and there are 10 Spaniards, 9 Frenchmen and 5 Americans in the top 56.

Berankis will be the first Lithuanian tennis player ever to participate in the Olympic games.

ATP ratings(earlier spots in parentheses):

1. (1) Novak Djokovič (Serbia) 16,950 points
2. (3) Andy Murray (Great Britain) 8,915
3. (2) Roger Federer (Switzerland) 6,655
4. (5) Rafael Nadal (Spain) 5,405
5. (4) Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 5,035
6. (6) Kei Nishikori (Japan) 4,290
7. (15) Dominic Thiem (Austria) 3,105
8. (8) Tomaš Berdych (Czech Republic) 3,030
9. (9) Miloš Raonič (Canada) 2,965
10. (12) Richard Gasquet (France) 2,905
…
54. (50) Ričardas Berankis (Lithuania) 860
…
59. (80) Ernestas Gulbis (Latvia) 836
…
353. (358) Laurynas Grigelis (Lithuania) 129
…
762. (761) Lukas Mugevičius (Lithuania) 29
…
1511. (1511) Tadas Babelis (Lithuania) 3
…
1544. (1541) Dovydas Šakinis (Lithuania) 2