John Newcombe’s journey to the top of the tennis world was marked by perseverance and determination. In 1973, he considered leaving the sport despite being ranked No. 7 when the PIF ATP Rankings were introduced in August of that year. Although he had secured a victory at the Australian Open earlier in 1973, his subsequent performance was lackluster, with a 4-7 match win-loss record from March to June according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
Instead of retiring, Newcombe intensified his efforts and won his second US Open title in September 1973. He continued his success by securing victories in Columbia, South Carolina, and Jakarta later that year. At the beginning of 1974, Newcombe went on an impressive winning streak, which brought him close to overtaking World No. 1 Ilie Nastase.
During this period, Newcombe won 36 out of 38 matches and claimed five tour-level trophies. His ascent culminated on June 3, 1974, when he became the second player to reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings after advancing to the semi-finals in Las Vegas. He held this position for eight weeks before being surpassed by Jimmy Connors. Notably, Newcombe is among nine players who reached No. 1 but never regained it after losing it.
“It requires a lot of dedication and effort. You really need all your powers of effort and concentration to prepare for matches,” Newcombe told ATPTour.com previously about rising to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
In total for the year 1974, Newcombe played in 101 matches, winning 87 and securing nine trophies.
Learn more about the ATP No. 1 Club