London: Roger Federer has set an all-time record for most weeks at No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings as of today, Monday 16 July 2012. The Swiss recently captured a seventh career title at Wimbledon to regain the No. 1 ranking for the first time since 31 May 2010, ensuring he would overtake Pete Sampras’ 286-week record as of on Monday.
Federer, who first reached the No. 1 ranking on Monday 2 February 2004, has now held the top spot in the rankings for a record 287 weeks, and is assured of keeping the No. 1 ranking through to the Olympic Games in London.
The Swiss, who now counts a record 17 Grand Slams titles to his name, said: “It is really an amazing feeling for me to have regained the No. 1 ranking on the ATP World Tour. I had set a goal with my team to try and get back to the top of the rankings, but I never thought with the depth in the game this year that I would have been able to get it back so quickly. I am extremely proud and honoured to have beaten Pete’s record as he was my childhood hero and I have always looked up to him.”
Roger By The Numbers
22 – Aged 22 years, 5 months, when he first became No. 1 on 2 February 2004
30 – Aged 30 years, 11 months today as he sets the record for most weeks at No. 1
237 – Consecutive weeks at No. 1 from 2 February 2004 to the week of 11 August 2008
853 – Has compiled an 853-192 (.816) match wins record over the course of his career
75 – Career titles from 106 finals (.708) since his first title match at 2000 Marseille
17 – Grand Slam titles
20 – ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles
6 – Barclays ATP World Tour Finals titles
TOTAL WEEKS AT No. 1 (as of Monday 16 July 2012)
Only 25 players have been ranked No. 1 in the history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 23 August 1973). Only Jimmy Connors (8 years, 10 months, 2 weeks – from 29 July 1974 to 13 June 1983) has had a longer interval than Federer (8 years, 5 months, 1 week – from 2 February 2004 to 9 July 2012) between reaching No. 1 for the first time and regaining it for the latest time.
ATP RANKINGS (Since 1973) – WEEKS AT NO. 1*
Player | Date First Reached | Age | Tot. Weeks |
Roger Federer (SUI) | Feb. 2 2004 | 22 | 287* |
Pete Sampras (USA) | Apr. 12 1993 | 21 | 286 |
Ivan Lendl (CZE) | Feb. 28 1983 | 22 | 270 |
Jimmy Connors (USA) | July 29 1974 | 21 | 268 |
John McEnroe (USA) | Mar. 3 1980 | 21 | 170 |
Bjorn Borg (SWE) | Aug. 23 1977 | 21 | 109 |
Rafael Nadal (ESP) | Aug. 18 2008 | 22 | 102 |
Andre Agassi (USA) | Apr. 10 1995 | 24 | 101 |
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) | Nov. 19 2001 | 20 | 80 |
Stefan Edberg (SWE) | Aug. 13 1990 | 24 | 72 |
Jim Courier (USA) | Feb. 10 1992 | 21 | 58 |
Novak Djokovic (SRB) | July 4 2011 | 24 | 53 |
Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) | Dec. 4 2000 | 24 | 43 |
Ilie Nastase (ROM) | Aug. 23 1973 | 27 | 40 |
Mats Wilander (SWE) | Sept. 12 1988 | 24 | 20 |
Andy Roddick (USA) | Nov. 3 2003 | 21 | 13 |
Boris Becker (GER) | Jan. 28 1991 | 23 | 12 |
Marat Safin (RUS) | Nov. 20 2000 | 20 | 9 |
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) | Sept. 8 2003 | 23 | 8 |
John Newcombe (AUS) | June 3 1974 | 30 | 8 |
Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS) | May 3 1999 | 25 | 6 |
Thomas Muster (AUT) | Feb. 12 1996 | 28 | 6 |
Marcelo Rios (CHI) | Mar. 30 1998 | 22 | 6 |
Carlos Moya (ESP) | Mar. 15 1999 | 22 | 2 |
Patrick Rafter (AUS) | July 26 1999 | 26 | 1 |
Courtesy: www.atpworldtour.com
