Mens Tennis

First Among Equals: World No. 1 Record Breakers & Shakers

From Novak Djokovic’s record seven year-end No. 1 presented by Pepperstone finishes to Roger Federer’s 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1, several ATP Tour stars have smashed the record books at the top of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

ATPTour.com continues to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings by providing a lens on some of the most historic World No. 1 achievements.

Novak Djokovic
Photo Credit: Getty Images/ATP Tour
Year-End ATP No. 1 Presented By Pepperstone
Novak Djokovic made history on 6 November 2021 when he secured the year-end No. 1 presented by Pepperstone for a record seventh time, eclipsing the mark he previously shared with Pete Sampras. Djokovic, who ended the season atop of tennis’ mountain for the first time in 2011, lifted at least one major every year that he secured the year-end No. 1 (also 2011-12, ’14-15, ’18 and 20).

“Just proud and extremely happy. Obviously that was one of the biggest goals and it’s always one of the biggest goals, to try to be No. 1 and end the season as No. 1,” Djokovic said at the time. “To do it for the record seventh time and surpass my childhood idol and role model, Pete, is incredible. Very grateful, very blessed to be in this position.”

The lowest he fell since first rising to No. 1 came in May 2018 when he dropped to No. 22, spending a total of six weeks outside the Top 20. The Serbian, who missed the second half of the 2017 season with an elbow injury, held a 6-6 record across the first five months of the 2018 season. He ended the year strongly, though, clinching four tour-level titles, including Grand Slam crowns at Wimbledon and the US Open, resulting in him ending the year ranked No. 1 for the fifth time. 

Djokovic’s most successful season came in 2015 when he tallied a 82-6 record. The Serbian lifted trophies at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open that year and reached the Roland Garros final. He also won six ATP Masters 1000 crowns and the Nitto ATP Finals title in 2015.

While Djokovic holds the ATP record of seven year-end No. 1 finishes, Sampras remains the only player in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings to own six consecutive year-end No. 1 finishes.

After Sampras secured the year-end No. 1 for the first time in 1993, Jimmy Connors’ five straight year-end No. 1 finishes between 1974 and 1978 kept the American hungry in the 1990s. Aiming for a record sixth consecutive year-end No. 1 finish in 1998, Sampras was seriously challenged for the top spot. He added six…

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