Top 5 player who have been the longest reigning ATP world number 1

It is a dream for every player to make it to the top of the ATP rankings. This is a position that has been held by some of the certified legends in the game of tennis. There are moments of brilliance for any tennis player to make it to the top 10 ATP rankings, but there are moments of brilliance when they are on top of the food chain. The way to get that top ranking is to win titles and perform consistently. There are some iconic people in the game that have achieved this feat.

To get to number one is always a great thing to accomplish, but to make sure you hold that position for as long as possible is also remarkable. We will not only be talking about the people who have achieved this milestone but also those who have kept themselves on top for the longest time possible. It is rare for any player to achieve this in one of the toughest sports for any individual.

So, here are the top 5 players to have the longest reign as ATP world number 1:

5. Jimmy Connors- 268 weeks

Jimmy Connors was one of the biggest warriors in tennis. Though he did not look like a normal Tennis player, he could produce some of the flat and fast groundstrokes in the game. He was one of the most determined and spirited players in the game you could ever see. The American does not only have 10 grand slams to his name but had one of the longest reigns in the 70’s and early 80’s as world number 1. Connors has been the top-ranked player for 268 weeks which was a world record in those days.

4. Ivan Lendl- 270 weeks

You might be thinking how can it be possible for Ivan Lendl to be on the list? It is not because of his talent as a player, but mostly his misfortune in grand slam knockouts. Ivan the Terrible as he is called, still gave consistent performances during his career. He has made it to the grand slam finals several times making sure that he does not shy away from the number 1 spot. Ivan with his powerful top-spinning forehand shot made life hell for his opponents. This is the reason why he has been at the top for 270 weeks throughout his entire career.

3. Pete Sampras- 286 weeks

If there was anyone that could beat the record of Lendl it was going to be Pete Sampras. Sampras with his ability to cover the whole court and switch gears is what made him one of the most legendary tennis players ever. Sampras was one of the toughest players to ever get past, which is the reason he has won 14 grand slam titles and is most probably the greatest American tennis player to ever live. Sampras was easily one of the goats in the 90’s and the early 2000’s. It is to no surprise that he has been world number 1 for 286 weeks in his career. This shows how dominant he was in his prime.

2. Roger Federer- 310 weeks

There was a time when nobody could step up to the world-class nature of Roger Federer. He is possibly one of the most versatile players the game has ever seen. What made him great is his tremendous athletic ability where he could create winners out of nowhere. Federer made sure he built his game to conquer all three surfaces whether it was clay, hard or grass. With 20 grand slams and over 100 ATP titles to his name, he was the greatest of all time in the 2000s. Federer also held the record for being the number-one-ranked ATP player for the longest time as well. Being at the top of the rankings for 310 weeks. He was the first player to break the 300-week mark as the number 1 player.

1. Novak Djokovic- 420 weeks and counting

Speaking of the previous GOAT of tennis to the current GOAT of the game right now. The Serbian powerhouse Novak Djokovic has made it a habit of breaking records in the game. Even at the age of 36 Djokovic is still holding that number 1 position. This makes him the oldest ATP world number 1 ever overtaking the likes of his predecessor Roger Federer. With 24 grand slams and close to 100 ATP titles, Djokovic is on a roll and there is no stopping him yet. Djokovic has also held this rank for the longest time breaking the 400-week mark and has completed 420 weeks at the top recently. With Djoko still in great form and on top of his game, we can say that this number might just go up in the future.