There are three names that have been synonymous with good tennis in the last two decades: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic yes Roger Federer, the tennis players with the most titles Grand Slam they have reached in the history of the former black and white sport (22 for the Spaniards, 21 for the Serbs and 20 for the Swiss).
They were the ones who finished the year at number one in the ATP rankings the most times between 2004 and 2022. Only two have sneaked onto that list in those years: Carlos Alcaraz yes Andrew Murray.
The Briton finished first in the ATP rankings in 2016. At the time he was the first tennis player, other than the big three, who managed to finish in box one on the season list.
The second to reach it was the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who just received it this year. Additionally, he became the youngest player in history to achieve this milestone, at the age of 19.
In which years did Federer, Djokovic and Nadal finish first?
The first to break through in the international arena was the Swiss, who rose to first place in 2004. He repeated that achievement in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009.
Then Spaniard Rafael Nadal appeared in 2008. He celebrated again in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019.
While Djokovic, who is 35 and the youngest of the three, joined him for the first time in 2011, when he was 24. He repeated the result in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
The Serbian is the tennis player who has finished first in the ATP circuit several times in a year, since he has done it seven times and with the level he has shown that he can reach it later, even if the new life is also making room. Are we witnessing the end of an era in tennis?
