This is Nadal’s last record week in the world top-10

Rafael Nadal appeared on Monday in ninth place in the ATP world rankings, his 912th consecutive week as part of the top-10 ranking. An absolute record that will end next Sunday, since Monday the 20th, after the end of the Masters 1000 ATP in Indian Wells, the Spaniard will be left in the top ten group. He is provisionally twelfth, although he may lose one or two more places depending on the results of other tennis players.

This is the consequence of the chain of injuries that almost did not allow him to compete with some continuity in the last three years. Chronic illness in the left leg was accompanied by a rib fracture, a double abdominal tear and, most recently, a grade 2 injury to the iliopsoas, the left hip, which hastened his march to the Australian Open, where he is defending the title. , 2,000 points.

He left Melbourne with 45 points, his most so far this season. In his account of the results there are 8 out of 19 possible, when the 600 points of the 2022 Indian Wells final are discounted. He has 2,715 points, 2,000 which refers to the conquest of his thirteenth Roland Garros.

Players with the most consecutive weeks

Top 10 ranking in the world

1. Rafael Nadal: 912 weeks (2005-2023)
2. Jimmy Connors : 789 weeks (1973-1988)
3. Roger Federer: 734 weeks (2002-2016)
4. Ivan Lendl: 619 weeks (1980-1992)
5. Peter Sampras: 565 weeks (1990-2001)
6. Novak Djokovic: 555 weeks (2007-2017)

On clay he had a margin of recovery before, because he ‘defended’ the 180 of the quarterfinals in Madrid and the 90 of the round of 16 in Rome. He did not participate in the previous editions of Monte Carlo and Godó, where he hopes to reappear next April. He began to intensify training on the ground of his academy in Manacor, with the desire to open the European clay tour.

World number one after 160 weeks No. 2

In 2005, at the age of 18, when he signed his first successful Monte Carlo-Barcelona double, entering the ATP top-10 on April 25. He rose from eleventh to seventh position. He will finish second on the course, behind Swiss Roger Federer, whom he surpassed on August 18, 2008. He reached world number one after winning the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. He left another record for history, the longest serving at No. 2 with 160 consecutive weeks in the position.

Nadal, he and his rivals have a problem in the draw

Foot and knee problems have caused long absences from the circuit in the past, but he has not played much in this period from 2021 to 2023. The ranking is not his current concern, although it could be a distorting element in the quarterfinals of the land contests, for himself and for his nearest rival. In the scenario that takes place on Monday, the Spaniard could meet at Roland Garros as well Novak Djokovic either Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16.

Although Nadal is on the ground there are arguments to focus only on his tennis. If he recovers his health and his level of play on his best surface, the goal is a fourteenth Roland Garros, a 23rd Grand Slam to break the tie in his favor at 22-22 with Novak Djokovic . Another challenge in his career, now at 36 years old, with the ambition to be 37 on the slopes of Roland Garros.

In the ATP rankings since 2001

First win of 1,068

Rafa Nadal appeared for the first time in the ranking on September 24, 2001, in position 1,002. He lost his first professional match, an ITF, against Guillermo Platel. In the next tournament, Challenger de Sevilla, he signed his first win, against Israel Martos. It debuted on the ATP Tour with an invitation from Mallorca, in April 2003, on land. At the age of 16, he defeated Paraguayan Ramón Delgado, losing to Belgian Olivier Rochus. So far, 1,068 have won and 220 have lost.