Rafael Nadal has today returned to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, beginning his fifth stint at the pinnacle of men’s professional tennis, nine-and-a-half years after he first attained the top spot on 18 August 2008. The icon of the game, who begins his 168th week at No. 1, replaces Switzerland’s Roger Federer, who had held the top ranking since 19 February to extend his record to 308 weeks overall. The 31-year-old Nadal, who has been omnipresent in the Top 10 since 25 April 2005, is now two weeks shy of sixth-placed John McEnroe’s mark in top spot (170). Nadal first ascended to the top spot at the age of 22 and has spent four previous stints at No. 1...
Pete Sampras held a slender lead in the ATP Rankings, such that as the world’s best players hit U.S. soil in March 1998, more than 10 players with a decent run in the California and Florida sunshine, could, theoretically, have risen to No. 1. Marcelo Rios, the exquisitely talented Chilean, whose popularity in his homeland was second only to footballer Marcelo Salas, was one such player at No. 7 on the professional tennis ladder. Rios, on 2,777 points, sat 939 points behind World No. 1 Pete Sampras, who, for much of the past five years, had been the sport’s leader. In the space of 20 extraordinary days, as many years ago, the pony-tailed Rios harnessed not only his natural talent,...
Every match in a professional tennis player's life is like a scene from a movie. One particular clip might stand out more than others, but ultimately, it's a part of the film. To a player, matches operate the same way: Some are essential and come at crucial moments. The stakes in other matches may not be quite as high, but often still feature tension and drama. Some results linger while others are brushed off and quickly forgotten. There are those that are emotional and leave even the spectators drained. Outcomes are sometimes expected and don't bring the suspense -- until the unexpected happens. For Juan Martin del Potro, the memories are countless. The match stats behind those memories, however, are...
The competitive fire still burns in Tommy Haas, but the spirit and, importantly, the willingness to train for quick-fire 60-minute or physically demanding encounters has fizzled out. Beginning his career when new string and racquet technology were both dramatically changing the sport, the former World No. 2 called time on his 21-year professional career Thursday night for a new chapter — time with his family, chauffeuring around his two daughters and completing his learning curve as Tournament Director of the BNP Paribas Open. “I consider myself extremely fortunate that I was able play professional tennis for a living for more than two decades,” said Haas, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Thursday. “The sport gave me cherished friendships, an...
