Sports · Tennis · 3 hrs ago
Djokovic, Nadal and Federer had contrasting starts as world number one
Alexander Zverev became tennis’s 30th official world number one on Monday, taking the ranking from Jannik Sinner after beating Tallon Griekspoor in Vienna.
He is set to play the Paris Masters, his first tournament as the top-ranked player.
The examples of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer show that their first events as number one brought different results.
Djokovic took the ranking after beating Rafael Nadal in the 2011 Wimbledon semi-finals, then won the Wimbledon title and the Canadian Open.
Nadal reached number one after winning Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008, but Andy Murray beat him in the US Open semi-finals at his next tournament.
Federer became number one during the 2004 Australian Open and won the title, then helped Switzerland beat Romania in the Davis Cup before losing in Rotterdam.
Zverev’s Paris Masters campaign is next, though the account gives no result for that tournament.
Novak Djokovic won the Canadian Open in his first tournament after becoming world number one in 2011.
Rafael Nadal reached the US Open semi-finals in his first event as world number one in 2008, where he lost to Andy Murray.
Roger Federer won the 2004 Australian Open before helping Switzerland win a Davis Cup tie in his first events as world number one.
Federer later reached the Rotterdam semi-finals, losing to Tim Henman.
Alexander Zverev became the 30th official world number one and was set to play the Paris Masters as the top-ranked player.
- Who
- Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are the players whose first events as world number one are discussed.
- What
- Djokovic won the Canadian Open, Nadal lost in the US Open semi-finals, and Federer won the Australian Open and helped Switzerland win a Davis Cup tie.
- When
- Djokovic’s first tournament as world number one was in 2011; Nadal’s was in 2008; Federer’s was in 2004.
- Where
- The events included tournaments in Montreal, New York, Melbourne and Rotterdam, and a Davis Cup tie involving Switzerland and Romania.
- Why
- The article looks back at how the players performed after achieving the world number one ranking.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Federer defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero in the Australian Open semi-finals and went on to win the title.
Federer represented Switzerland in a Davis Cup tie against Romania, winning both of his matches as Switzerland secured a 3-2 victory.
Nadal won Olympic gold in Beijing and achieved the world number one ranking.
Nadal reached the US Open semi-finals, where he lost to Andy Murray in four sets.
Djokovic claimed the world number one ranking after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Djokovic won the Canadian Open in Montreal, defeating Mardy Fish in the final.
- Djokovic
- Won the Canadian Open in Montreal in 2011
- Nadal
- Lost to Andy Murray in the 2008 US Open semi-finals
- Federer
- Won the 2004 Australian Open
- Switzerland
- Beat Romania 3-2 in a Davis Cup tie
- Alexander Zverev
- Became the 30th official world number one
What people are saying
They don’t give you a lot of chances to become number one,
History-making, of course it’s special,
I believe that I deserved it after having a very high level almost in every week during three and a half years.
I’m happy to have had a great start now to the season, and to finally be number one,