Rafael Nadal may have dropped to World No.3 in the ATP rankings this week, but the Spaniard earned another feather to his celebrated cap. Nadal became only the third player to spend 816 weeks in the top-10.
Currently, Roger Federer leads the pack with 946 weeks, closely followed by legendary, Jimmy Connors who had spent 816 weeks in the elite group. Nadal entered the top-10 of the men’s ranking back in April 2005, when he was only 18. Since then, he has never been found outside the top-10. He was barely 19 when he went onto to win his maiden French Open title.
Nadal will eclipse Jimmy Connors soon
Nadal, who is scheduled to play many more tournaments for 2021 is certain to surpass Connors in the coming weeks. While Nadal has managed to consistently stay in the top-10 despite his various injuries over the years, Federer has been extremely fortunate to get away with protected rankings, due to the ongoing pandemic.
It is also to be noted, that Federer once went down to No.17 in the rankings, before winning the Australian Open in 2017. A few weeks ago, the King of Clay also became the only player in history to win 450 or more matches on two different surfaces.
Moreover, Nadal is also the only player in the history of tennis to win a dozen or more titles at one single Major event. The 13-time Roland Garros winner is currently playing the ongoing Rome Masters and will be eyeing his 10th title in the eternal city this week starting tonight when he plays against Italian Jannik Sinner.
Meanwhile, the 39-year-old will return to action at the upcoming Geneva Open next week and will also be seen at the French Open and Wimbledon. Many are also wondering if this will be the last year on the tour for the 20-time Grand Slam champion.