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 as we speak, these distinctive superstars from internationally are ceaselessly 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 sequence wanting on the legendary gamers, their epic battles, the inspiring comebacks, the jaw-dropping milestones and statistics and different narratives that showcase probably the most talked-about components of our sport.
Leading tennis creator and historian Richard Evans, who is aware of higher than most all the gamers to succeed in World No. 1, kicks us off along with his private reflections on probably the most notable amongst this elite group to have reached the head of tennis.
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John McEnroe
Considering the extent of pure talent with which he was blessed, it could possibly be stated that McEnroe’s whole of seven Grand Slam singles titles and 77 total makes him an underachiever. Lethal with feathery contact on the volley after swinging his left-handed serve manner out broad to the advert courtroom, McEnroe rose to World No. 1 on the age of 21 in 1981. In 1984, he put collectively the very best season in ATP Tour historical past by profitable proportion (96.5 per cent), hovering to an 82-3 report.
However, a flamable temperament sure up with an lack of ability to just accept umpiring selections that he felt certain had been incorrect (expertise would have proved him proper more often than not) benefited no another than his opponents — Ivan Lendl, two units and a break down within the 1984 Roland Garros ultimate, being a primary instance. McEnroe will admit to having nightmares about that loss as we speak however there may be one excuse few individuals know. Having flown to London that evening, I met John at The Queen’s Club the subsequent day and he invited me to the touch his scarlet brow. It was nonetheless scorching. He had suffered sunstroke and took to carrying a scarf afterwards.
For these attempting analyse the McEnroe character, his headmaster at Trinity School in Manhattan instructed me one thing that may shock many. I requested how “Johnny Mac” behaved at school matches. “Fine,” was the reply. “We didn’t have umpires. John gave any tight calls to his opponent. He by no means needed one thing he had not earned.” The headmaster may need added that McEnroe couldn’t tolerate being disadvantaged of one thing he HAD earned.
Sensitive to the slightest sound and conscious of each disruption, McEnroe’s nervous system was simply rattled. I used to be standing seven rows again on the packed Queen’s Club terrace one 12 months and sneezed simply as McEnroe was about to serve. I had been there one minute. He stopped, turned and stated, “Oh thanks, Richard.” That, no less than, was well mannered. Often he wasn’t and bumped into countless bother with officialdom. But, opposite to expectation, he was a loyal Davis Cup staff man and by no means forgets his associates.
He nonetheless performs with somewhat band he helped create in Douglaston, New York, the place he grew up with Irish-American mother and father and two brothers. Unable to meet his ambition of being a rock star, he married one: Patty Smythe.
Weeks at No. 1: 170 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 58 … Year-end No. 1: 4 instances
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Bjorn Borg
There was no query that six triumphs at Roland Garros in eight politically interrupted years when the cool Swede opted to play for the banned World Team Tennis league in America established Borg because the pre-eminent clay courtroom participant of his period — most likely of all time till the arrival of Rafa Nadal. But the place does he stand with regards to grass? Five straight Wimbledon titles from 1976-80 elevate him excessive up that scale, and it was this extraordinary run of success on a floor not naturally suited to his sport that turned him into world star.
Timing, nevertheless, is the whole lot and, with John Newcombe fading, Borg merely made the a lot of the absence of an awesome serve-and-volleyer till the arrival of John McEnroe. Nevertheless, the quietly spoken and flawlessly behaved Swede confirmed what could possibly be achieved by mixing backcourt tennis with considered web play and a few of his matches — notably the traditional five-set Wimbledon semi-final in opposition to his nice pal Vitas Gerulaitis in 1977 — stay indelibly within the reminiscence.
In a distinct period, Borg took care of his lithe physique however to not the extent of lacking out on the nightlife European cities needed to provide and it was in discotheques in Paris, London and Rome that one noticed a distinct Borg. After a glass of wine or two, he was able to admit that his picture of the unblemished sportsman was enhanced by the truth that his halo shone brightest when in comparison with his three rabble-rousing rivals, Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. The latter, specifically, turned an excellent pal.
Borg’s early retirement on the age of 26 — after 66 tour-level singles titles — happened when the ITF refused to grant him a discount within the variety of required tournaments he needed to play. “I’ve been taking part in tennis continuous for 10 years and for those who don’t scale back my schedule, I shall give up,” he threatened. They didn’t and he did. Champions of Borg’s caliber might be very cussed.
Weeks at No. 1: 109 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 46 … Year-end No. 1: 2 instances
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Andre Agassi
Soon after he stunned the tennis world by marrying Steffi Graf in 2001, I requested Agassi whereas he was taking part in the Paris Indoors at Bercy if he recognised the younger insurgent he was once. He smiled. “No, who was he?” There had, certainly, been a metamorphosis in how this son of an Iranian-born boxer, introduced up in Las Vegas, carried out himself on the ATP Tour.
In his revealing autobiography, Agassi has admitted that he got here to view a tennis courtroom as a cage as a result of strict coaching routine his father demanded of him and, in his view, it obtained little higher at Nick Bollettieri’s Academy. But as he began profitable massive titles, most notably Wimbledon in 1992 after shedding in consecutive Roland Garros finals, Andre matured and married the actress Brooke Shields — whose grandfather, Frank Shields, had been a Wimbledon finalist and sporting heartthrob of the early Nineteen Thirties.
Although the wedding didn’t final, Brooke, a fluent French speaker, launched him to extra subtle European dwelling and helped knock the tough edges off Andre’s character. His distinctive ball placing smoothed out, too, and his punishing backcourt sport quickly made him probably the most efficient champions on the Tour.
Following his Wimbledon win by beating Michael Stich to take the US Open title in 1994, Agassi went on to gather eight Grand Slam titles to go alongside seven shedding finals and a formidable whole of 870 profession wins and 60 tour-level titles.
Throughout his profession, Agassi discovered himself battling Pete Sampras as his predominant rival. Between 1989 and 2002 they met 34 instances, with Sampras profitable 20 to Agassi’s 14. In the 2001 US Open quarter-finals, Sampras gained 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 7-6(2), 7-6(5), with neither man breaking the opposite’s serve — which was exceptional as Agassi possessed one of many sport’s biggest returns.
After marrying Graf, Agassi turned his consideration to the work he can be finest remembered for in Nevada — the creation of Andre Agassi Prep, a faculty intentionally set in one of many poorest neighborhoods of Las Vegas. The six-foot images of Churchill, Mohammed Ali, Mother Theresa and Mandela that adorn the partitions are Agassi’s message to his college students: Never doubt that you just, too, might be one in every of these individuals.
Agassi’s mid-career climb from World No. 141 again to No. 1 offers loads of inspiration of its personal, with the American even taking part in ATP Challenger Tour occasions as he recovered from private struggles to regain his standing atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Weeks at No. 1: 101 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 52 … Year-end No. 1: 1 time
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Stefan Edberg
The youngest of the three nice Swedes who gave tennis such a Scandinavian taste within the final three a long time of the twentieth century, Stefan’s serve-and-volley sport was a stylist’s dream: His first serve unfolding like a thrown carpet as, multi function silk-like motion, he superior to the online to place away one of many sport’s nice backhand volleys. The proven fact that he performed with a one-handed backhand was wholly as a result of technical experience of an underrated coach, Percy Rosberg, who remained within the background whereas telling Bjorn Borg to maintain his two-hander and telling Edberg to do away with his. How proper are you able to be?
There was one other adjustment Stefan, in the end a 41-time tour-level singles titlist, required earlier than blossoming into the nice champion he turned. An opportunity assembly with the previous British Davis Cup participant Tony Pickard supplied it. Bumptious and opinionated, Pickard provided a complete distinction in character to the shy Swede and promptly set about remodeling Edberg’s physique language. The barely stooping, head-rolling gait was not tolerated. “Head up, chin up, get your shoulders again! If you wish to be a champion, stroll like one!” had been Pickard’s directions and Edberg listened.
A brand new confidence flooded into his already technically right sport and the breakthrough on the Grand Slam degree got here when he defeated compatriot Mats Wilander to win the 1985 Australian Open at a Melbourne Park bedecked with blue-and-yellow flags being waved by the 1000’s of Swedish faculty college students learning within the metropolis. With the subsequent Australian Open being performed in January 1987 to impact a date change, the Swedish followers had been again to compete with the locals as Pat Cash tried, and failed, to forestall Edberg retaining his crown.
Soon it was clear that Boris Becker, who had gained Wimbledon at 18, would turn into Edberg’s most constant rival. The Swede gained their first duel in a Wimbledon ultimate in 1988, misplaced to the highly effective German in 1989, however beat him once they met for the third straight 12 months within the London title match. If requested as we speak, Edberg will nonetheless not have coherent solutions to how he misplaced to the 17-year-old Michael Chang within the Roland Garros ultimate of 1989 — he broke early within the fifth set earlier than shedding it 6-2 — however quickly it was time to show his consideration to the US Open and as soon as once more Pickard performed an important function.
In eight makes an attempt, Edberg had solely managed two semi-finals in a raucous metropolis that grated on his nerves. Pickard lastly modified the best way Stefan engaged with New York, holding time spent at Flushing Meadows to a minimal and discovering him a quiet lodge out on Long Island. The outcome was devastating for Jim Courier, who misplaced the 1991 US Open ultimate to the rampant, well-rested Swede 6-2, 6-4, 6-0.
Finally comfy along with his environment, Edberg was again the next 12 months to disappoint New York followers as soon as once more by defeating Pete Sampras, who had already gained the primary of his 5 US Open titles, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2. With Anders Jarryd as his accomplice, Edberg gained the Australian Open and US Open doubles titles in 1987 and so achieved the uncommon feat of being World No. 1 in each singles and doubles.
Weeks at No. 1: 72 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 24 … Year-end No. 1: 2 instances
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Ilie Nastase
When the primary version of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings had been cranked out of a really fundamental pc on the ATP’s Texas headquarters in 1973, the person on the high of the listing was Ilie Nastase. Being the primary No. 1 is one thing that can be his ceaselessly. However, the mercurial Romanian — who possessed expertise with ball, racquet and motion few others have matched — can be remembered for different issues. Frequently letting himself down with livid outbursts that made his followers recoil, “Nasty”, as he was inevitably identified, contradicted that aspect of his character with a humorous, beneficiant spirit of which many in want had been grateful beneficiaries.
Losing to Jan Kodes within the 1971 Roland Garros ultimate — and to Stan Smith within the Wimbledon ultimate the next 12 months — put him on the world stage and he confirmed his all-surface expertise by beating Arthur Ashe to win the 1972 US Open on grass at Forest Hills. Outwitting Nikki Pilic at Roland Garros in 1973 added extra stardust to an attention grabbing profession, however it was within the early years of the ATP Masters Finals that he was most persistently profitable.
He gained the second ATP Finals ever held, at Stade Coubertin in Paris, added Barcelona the next 12 months regardless of being woken up at 2:00 a.m. by press and participant pranksters to inform him who he would play within the ultimate that day (it was Stan Smith), after which triumphed once more at Boston. For causes nobody might work out, Ilie managed to lose on grass at Kooyong to the clay-court professional Guillermo Vilas in 1974 however had his palms on the trophy for the fourth time in Stockholm the subsequent November on the season finale.
That final ATP Finals win was worthy of a film script. He behaved so badly within the spherical robin in opposition to Arthur Ashe that the ATP president stated, “That’s it. I gained’t take this anymore,” and left the courtroom, placing himself within the incorrect. When referee Horst Klosterkemper tried to elucidate that to him, Ashe, for one of many only a few instances in his life, misplaced his mood. “Don’t inform me the foundations,” Ashe yelled. “I wrote them!”
Contrite as ever, Nastase was hiding behind a curtain within the locker room and the subsequent morning on the Grand Hotel, approaching Ashe timidly at breakfast, he went down on one knee and, providing a bunch of flowers, apologised. Both gamers had been re-instated and Nastase beat Bjorn Borg within the ultimate, in the end closing his profession with 64 tour-level singles titles.
Nasty or not, Ilie’s winery exterior Bucharest now produces 15,000 bottles of an excellent classic yearly. It is named… Nasty.
Weeks at No. 1: 40 … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 40 … Year-end No. 1: 1 time
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Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan
Mike is the eldest by a minute or two, however it by no means mattered. Mike and Bob had been twinned at delivery and marched in tandem by means of a doubles profession that blew up the report books. They had been joint World No. 1 for 438 weeks with Mike, by teaming often with different companions, topping that at 506. They had been No. 1 for 139 consecutive weeks and have become the one staff ever to win all 4 Grand Slam titles in a 12 months twice — a Grand Slam double for masters of the artwork.
In all they collected 119 titles on the ATP Tour, leaving Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge in second place with 61. In addition, they appeared in 59 different finals. There was an Olympic gold medal in London in 2012 and a Davis Cup report of 25-5.
They appeared and behaved like two all-American boys in an understated manner, by no means as outgoing as their father Wayne, a lawyer who was a flamboyant grasp of ceremonies at varied sporting occasions. But Wayne and their mom Kathy had been each good gamers and, rising up close to Oxnard, California, the boys realized effectively. They travelled effectively, too, staying in Europe for longer than most Americans on the Tour, flying the flag in a fashion most Americans would need it flown, patriotic however well mannered. So it was not shocking that their first Grand Slam win got here at Roland Garros in 2003, the 12 months they gained the ATP Finals in Houston.
But the consistency which lasted for thus lengthy appeared to reach when the Australian doubles professional David Macpherson turned their coach in 2005. They gained the US Open that 12 months and, in 2006, added the Australian Open and Wimbledon. In an unusually lengthy teaching partnership, Macpherson stayed with the brothers for 11 years.
It was solely once they picked up their racquets that you might actually be certain who was who — Mike the right-hander, Bob the lefty. Both had been married with kids by the point they retired in 2022, depriving the Tour not simply of their experience however of the chest bump that adopted every victory and have become their trademark.
Carlos Alcaraz poses with the ATP No. 1 introduced by Pepperstone trophy final November in Turin. Photo by Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz
With a smile virtually as massive as the massive trophy he was holding, standing on centre courtroom on the venerable Queen’s Club London, it appeared preposterous that rising to World No. 1 on the age of 20 because of profitable the Cinch Championships was not one thing new for Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard had completed it earlier than because the youngest — at 19 years, 4 months — ever to succeed in the head of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings when he gained the US Open the earlier September, slipping behind Novak Djokovic when damage saved him out of the Australian Open and now re-claiming it.
What was new was the grass beneath his ft. Still a novice on the floor, Alcaraz had not been pleased along with his type within the early rounds at Queen’s however, like all champions, he obtained higher as straight-sets wins over former Queen’s champion Grigor Dmitrov and Sebastian Korda proved. In the ultimate, the one cloud on his horizon on a day of 30-degrees Celsius temperatures was a thigh muscle that required strapping after he had taken the primary set 6-4 off Alex de Minaur.
Alarm bells? Not instantly, as a result of the second set was gained with equal ease, incomes him his eleventh tour-level crown. He adopted it up by profitable his first Wimbledon title three weeks later, dethroning Novak Djokovic in a five-set ultimate.
But staying freed from damage could, in actual fact, show to be Alcaraz’s largest concern within the months forward. On Tennis Channel in May, Jim Courier was requested what struck him most about this dynamic newcomer. “Apart from being higher than Rafa Nadal on the identical age?” Courier replied. “What makes him particular to me is the smile. It’s there win or lose. It is so apparent that he loves the sport and with the ability to transmit that to his followers is priceless.”
The relaxed perspective to his tennis has been nurtured for the reason that former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero took cost of his tennis at his academy in Valencia in 2013. Winning the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan in 2021 set Alcaraz up for his breakthrough 12 months when he turned the youngest-ever winner of the ATP Masters 1000s in Miami and Madrid after which went on to turn into US Open champion by beating Norway’s Casper Ruud in a ultimate that might make the winner World No 1.
It was Carlos, in fact, and now one is simply left to surprise for what number of weeks this extraordinary expertise will stay on high of the tennis world.
Weeks at No. 1: 29 (Current No. 1) … Consecutive weeks at No. 1: 20 … Year-end No. 1: 1 time
Read Part 1 of the Notable No. 1s sequence.
View all 28 No. 1s within the 50-year historical past of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Source: www.atptour.com