A historic Monday for tennis.
While Carlos Alcaraz becomes world number 1 again on Monday thanks to his crowning at the Indian Wells Masters 1000, Rafael Nadal is out of the top 10 (he is now 13e) for the first time since… April 25, 2005!
18 years ago, the Mallorcan beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final of the Barcelona tournament (6−1, 7–6[4]6–3) and became one of the ten best players in the world, settling precisely at the 7e place in the ATP rankings. Since then, Rafa has lived the second part of his life in this top 10, without ever leaving it.
That simply mind-boggling record of 912 consecutive weeks in the top 10 now seems unattainable.
Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer complete the podium in the field with equally exceptional performances in terms of longevity. And yet. Nadal has passed them for a while.
Novak Djokovic, who holds the record for the number of weeks spent in first place in the world (380), will undoubtedly approach Roger Federer but will remain far from the Spaniard.
Absolutely gigantic.
Published on Monday, March 20, 2023 at 10:05
