Since the creation of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in August 1973, 28 males’s singles gamers have owned the No. 1 spot. From Ilie Nastase within the very first version to Carlos Alcaraz in the present day, these distinctive superstars from the world over are without end linked, a part of the elite fraternity to reign over the boys’s sport.
ATPTour.com is celebrating the approaching fiftieth anniversary of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings with a five-part collection wanting on the legendary gamers, their epic battles, the inspiring comebacks, the jaw-dropping milestones and statistics and different narratives that showcase one of the crucial talked-about parts of our sport.
Leading tennis writer and historian Richard Evans, who is aware of higher than most the entire gamers to succeed in World No. 1, kicks us off together with his private reflections on essentially the most notable amongst this elite group to have reached the head of tennis.
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Novak Djokovic
As the sport will get extra highly effective, so the stress of taking part in professional tennis turns into extra demanding. As a consequence, staying match is now a significant factor. With a physique nearly completely sculpted for tennis, Djokovic, regardless of an early well being downside remedied by a strict weight-reduction plan, has managed to remain fitter than most. Along together with his innate expertise for hanging a ball from any place on the court docket, this has enabled the 6-foot-2 Serb to begin piling up statistics and draw back from his rivals. Well away from Roger Federer now with 389 weeks at No. 1, the 94-time tour-level titlist appears set to develop into an undisputed GOAT.
Chance got here his manner on the age of 5 when Jelena Gencic, who had coached Monica Seles, spent a summer time teaching at public courts proper reverse the Djokovic household pizzeria. Gencic was impressed to work with him as a result of he listened so intently to all the pieces she stated.
Born in Belgrade in 1987, Novak was prepared, by the age of 20, to win two ATP Masters 1000 titles at Miami and in Canada and, in 2008, set off on the run that has up to now introduced him a document 23 Grand Slams by profitable the primary of 10 Australian Opens. He needed to wait a bit earlier than fulfilling the childhood dream of profitable the primary of what, up to now, is seven Wimbledons in 2011.
With two kids and a spouse actively concerned in his charities, household life absorbs a lot of Novak’s time away from tennis and, as he goes on profitable, there’s nothing to recommend he is not going to stay Serbia’s biggest world ambassador.
Weeks at No. 1: 389 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 122 … Year-end No. 1: 7 occasions
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Roger Federer
It just isn’t each sports activities star who ends their profession sitting on a courtside bench, holding arms with Rafael Nadal, his biggest rival, each in tears, whereas 17,000 folks on the Laver Cup in London cheered and cried. It was an emotional climax to a unprecedented profession. Very few have gathered as a lot love and admiration as this elegant Swiss, whom many followers will proceed to view as ‘The Greatest’ it doesn’t matter what the stats say.
It was the best way he performed the sport, the smoothest mover and sweetest hitter of a ball you ever noticed; the fiercest competitor, hardly ever exhibiting the stress that broiled inside an nearly disdainfully calm exterior; the sportsman all the time exhibiting respect for his rivals.
Perfect is a foolish phrase to make use of about any human being however Roger appears to have come nearer than most. When his Slovak-born spouse Mirka, a former participant herself, produced two units of twins — two women after which two boys — somebody within the locker room was heard to say, “Oh, Roger! You even do that completely!” It was close to perfection on court docket that involved his rivals most as he collected a complete of 103 titles, 20 of them Slams and 6 on the Nitto ATP Finals.
After a stellar profession of such free-flowing success, it’s unhappy {that a} again harm compelled him into retirement earlier than he was mentally ready for it — even on the age of 41! Inspired by his South African mom, Federer will now spend much more time engaged on his pre-school training charities in nations like Malawi and Zimbabwe, recipients of a $1 million private donation from Roger & Mirka when Covid struck. As he says: “It’s good to be vital, nevertheless it’s extra vital to be good.”
Weeks at No. 1: 310 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 237 … Year-end No. 1: 5 occasions
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Pete Sampras
Being born with lengthy arms is a bonus, however it’s worthwhile to know methods to use them if you wish to obtain what this Californian of Greek heritage achieved on a tennis court docket. The serve is taken into account probably the greatest to ever grace the sport and Pete may attain something on the web. The consequence? Seven Wimbledons!
Add a number of extra Grand Slams in New York (5) and Melbourne (two) — however by no means Paris — for a complete of 14 and you’re looking at a document that enabled him to complete the 12 months as World No. 1 six occasions, second solely to Djokovic. Sampras’ six got here in succession from 1993-98, a document for consecutive years ended atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, and he navigated a gruelling late-year schedule in ’98 to complete the run in fashion. The 64-time tour-level champion was additionally the one-time ATP Masters 1000 title chief with 11 crowns.
Not a flamboyant performer, Pete hardly ever uttered a phrase on court docket — however then he didn’t say a lot off it, both, regardless of a heat, welcoming smile each time he stated hiya. Although a person who stored to himself, Sampras was able to step up for his nation’s trigger in Davis Cup, beating Andrei Chesnokov in 5 hard-fought units in Moscow in 1995 and promptly collapsing with cramp. He wanted to be carried off court docket.
Deeply affected by the dying of his coach Tim Gullikson on the age of 44, Pete gained his final 9 Slams with Paul Annacone as his trusted coach.
In retirement, Pete did what most of us anticipated — stayed house together with his actress spouse, Bridgette Wilson, and two youngsters and performed golf. Bridgette’s brazenly expressed need to be a housewife reasonably than a film star match completely with Pete’s character. Night life was not for him. Crushed one evening at a Piccadilly disco in London, he struggled previous me saying, “Can’t stand this. Gotta get out of right here.” An open air type of man.
Weeks at No. 1: 286 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 102 … Year-end No. 1: 6 occasions
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Ivan Lendl
The piercing gaze continues to be on view courtside as this Czech-born American watches Andy Murray, carrying his teaching cap, nevertheless it was no much less piercing when he used to take a look at himself within the rest room mirror earlier than coaching each morning and say, “Now physique, how a lot punishment am I going to place you thru in the present day?” Was {that a} masochistic streak in Lendl’s nature? If so, it drove him to extraordinary heights: eight Grand Slam titles and a run of success on the US Open which can by no means be repeated — eight consecutive appearances within the closing between 1982 and 1989.
Until John McEnroe misplaced his focus and let a two-set lead slip at Roland Garros in 1984, enabling Ivan to safe a outstanding win, Ivan had discovered a Grand Slam title elusive as defeat adopted defeat in finals. But as soon as he broke the barrier, the 94-time tour-level titlist grew to become one of many nice winners of his period with a pounding backcourt sport anchored to the athleticism he burnished with that every day coaching routine — hours on court docket, hours within the health club, eight miles on his bike after which a playful hour wrestling with the 5 German Shepherds, reared as killers by the Czech Border Guards — at his Connecticut house.
When Tony Roche, his Australian coach, came visiting, Ivan instructed him, “Just so you realize, they perceive the phrase for ‘kill’ in Czech!” In distinction, Ivan proved to be a doting father to his 5 daughters, three of whom he used to drive round golf tournaments in Florida, serving to their progress within the skilled sport.
Beyond his eighth Grand Slam singles titles, Lendl additionally owned the year-end Masters Grand Prix — now the Nitto ATP Finals — throughout its time at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. From 1980-88, he reached 9 straight finals on the prestigious occasion, profitable 5 titles.
Weeks at No. 1: 270 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 157 … Year-end No. 1: 4 occasions
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Jimmy Connors
Tennis is a person sport and Jimmy Connors was a person. He performed Davis Cup for the United States however occasionally and reluctantly. Apart from a rollicking friendship with one other maverick, Romania’s Ilie Nastase, Connors was a loner on the ATP Tour, intense, centered and pushed.
That was clear when he was nonetheless solely 18 and had simply misplaced to Stan Smith in a decent match on the Los Angeles Tennis Club. I occurred to be strolling via and laughing about one thing utterly separate with a good friend and got here near the place Jimmy, head in his arms, was sitting. Mistaking my mirth, he regarded up and yelled, “It’s not humorous, you realize! I LOST! It’s not humorous!” It was clear, proper then, that we had an rising champion.
Using a spherical, metal-framed racquet that required precision hitting, Connors went on to win eight Grand Slam titles and end with a Grand Slam match document of 233-49, bettered solely by Roger Federer (369-60) amongst retired gamers in the present day. He additionally launched into a stretch of 160 consecutive weeks as World No. 1 from 1974-77, shortly after the Pepperstone ATP Rankings have been created in 1973. His 109 tour-level titles singles stay a males’s Open period document.
Connors’ grandmother, often known as Two Mom, and his mom, Gloria Connors, lit his early path — two ladies from working class St. Louis who taught their boy that profitable was nearly all the pieces. Later, the tennis professor Pancho Segura was allowed to show him methods to feed off larger gamers’ energy.
Bursting onto the key levels in 1972, Connors gained three Slams and was denied the prospect to play Roland Garros due to politics. His finest efficiency got here in beating arch-rival John McEnroe within the 1982 Wimbledon closing, and his worst when Arthur Ashe soft-balled him to a shock defeat at Wimbledon in 1975. Such was the turmoil of the day that Connors, and his belligerent supervisor Bill Riordan, have been really in litigation towards Ashe and the ATP Tour when he performed Ashe in that Wimbledon closing.
But above all, American crowds liked his feisty, battling fashion — the little man towards the world. New York adopted him and the US Open, which he gained 5 occasions, was his house.
Weeks at No. 1: 268 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 160 … Year-end No. 1: 5 occasions
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Rafael Nadal
‘King of Clay’ nearly appears an insufficient title for a person who has dominated the clay-court sport with such ruthless, relentless effectivity since he gained Roland Garros for the primary time in 2005 on the age of 19. Since then, profitable in Paris has develop into routine, a complete of 14 titles up to now to go together with 12 crowns in Barcelona and 11 at Monte Carlo. Without foot and knee accidents, it may have been extra.
How does he do it? The technical facets of Nadal’s success are intriguing. Since his uncle Toni Nadal nurtured his starvation for the game on the age of 4, Rafa has mixed a closely muscled physique with a uncommon skill to impart heavy topspin on the ball. He can obtain an RPM of three,200 rotations — way over his rivals. The result’s a ball that kicks and rises from a top and maintains its pace off the court docket when it lands. It was the shot that Roger Federer, who misplaced to Nadal 13 occasions, discovered most troublesome to deal with.
Triggered by harm, Rafa misplaced the power to flick the wrist on the full extension of his arm in 2015, diminishing his effectiveness to such an extent that it grew to become the one 12 months between 2005 and 2019 that he didn’t win both a Grand Slam or ATP Masters 1000 title. Months of labor again house at Manacor in Mallorca restored the weapon, and by 2017 he was capable of win in Paris and New York whereas reaching the ultimate in Melbourne. On of the all-time greats throughout all surfaces, Nadal has gained a haul of 37 ATP Masters 1000 titles to go together with his 22 majors — all amongst 92 tour-level crowns.
It is an inbred willingness to work and enhance that lies on the core of his success. After dropping two finals to Federer, Nadal gained Wimbledon in 2008 by upping the pace of his first serve. No Spaniard had managed to adapt to grass at that stage since Manuel Santana in 1966.
The fierce on-court expressions soften into completely happy smiles when one meets Rafa in particular person. Charming and aware of his highly effective place as a vastly standard sporting icon, Rafa works generously for his basis, which contributes to feeding the poor in Mallorca. During unhealthy floods, Rafa opened the doorways of his luxurious academy in Manacor to supply non permanent shelter. In 2019, he married his childhood sweetheart, Maria, they usually had a son final November.
Weeks at No. 1: 209 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 56 … Year-end No. 1: 5 occasions
Read Part 2 of the Notable No. 1s collection.
View all 28 No. 1s within the 50-year historical past of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Source: www.atptour.com