Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal are the only players among the 29 who have held the No. 1 PIF ATP Ranking for more than a decade between their first and last days at the top. Among these tennis legends, Federer stands out with a record span of 14 years and 142 days from his initial ascent to his final day as world number one.
Federer first claimed the No. 1 ranking on February 2, 2004, following his victory at the Australian Open. Reflecting on this achievement, he said, “I’m happy to have had a great start now to the season, and to finally be No. 1,” adding that it made him feel “really strange.” He maintained this position for an unprecedented 237 consecutive weeks until Rafael Nadal took over in August 2008.
The Swiss maestro returned to the top spot for another 48 weeks between 2009 and 2010 and added another stint of 17 weeks in 2012. In February 2018, Federer set a new record for the longest gap between consecutive No. 1 rankings when he reclaimed the position after more than five years.
Upon regaining his top ranking in early 2018, Federer expressed his sentiments: “I think reaching No. 1 is one of, if not the ultimate achievement in our sport.” He described how reaching this milestone later in his career required additional effort: “Sometimes at the beginning you just all of a sudden get there just because you’re playing so well… And when you’re older, you feel like you have to put maybe sometimes double the work in.”
Federer’s final period as world number one was brief but historic; from June 18-24, he became the oldest player to hold that title at age 36 years and ten months.