The ATP world No. 1 ranking is the highest position a male professional tennis player can achieve.
Since the Professional Tennis Association first launched the ranking on August 23, 1973, a total of 29 different players have reached the No. 1 position in the men’s singles world.
The rankings are calculated using a 52-week rolling points system, with players earning points based on results at majors, ATP Masters 1000 events, ATP 500 events and ATP 250 events.
The first player to be ranked No. 1 in the world was Eli Nastaseand Novak Djokovic currently holds the record for the longest number of weeks ranked No. 1 in ATP history.
Below is the complete list of all players since 1973 who have reached the number one spot in the ATP World Ranking.
List of ATP world No. 1 players (1973 to present)
| No. | player | nation | Become No.1 first |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eli Nastase | Romania | 1973 |
| 2 | John Newcomb | Australia | 1974 |
| 3 | jimmy conners | USA | 1974 |
| 4 | Bjorn Borg | Sweden | 1977 |
| 5 | John McEnroe | USA | 1980 |
| 6 | Ivan Rendell | Czech Republic/United States | 1983 |
| 7 | Mads Weiland | Sweden | 1988 |
| 8 | Stefan Edberg | Sweden | 1990 |
| 9 | Boris Becker | Germany | 1991 |
| 10 | Jim Courier | USA | 1992 |
| 11 | Pete Sampras | USA | 1993 |
| 12 | Andre Agassi | USA | 1995 |
| 13 | Thomas Muster | Austria | 1996 |
| 14 | Marcelo Rios | Chile | 1998 |
| 15 | Carlos Moya | Spain | 1999 |
| 16 | Yevgeny Kafelnikov | Russia | 1999 |
| No. 17 | Patrick Rafter | Australia | 1999 |
| 18 | Marla Safin | Russia | 2000 |
| 19 | Gustavo Kurten | Brazil | 2000 |
| 20 | Lleyton Hewitt | Australia | 2001 |
| twenty one | Juan Carlos Ferrero | Spain | 2003 |
| No. 22 | Andy Roddick | USA | 2003 |
| twenty three | roger federer | Switzerland | 2004 |
| twenty four | Rafael Nadal | Spain | 2008 |
| 25 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia | 2011 |
| 26 | Andy Murray | U.K. | 2016 |
| 27 | Daniil Medvedev | Russia | 2022 |
| 28 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain | 2022 |
| 29 | Jannik Sinner | Italy | 2024 |
First ATP World No. 1
The first official ATP world number one is Eli NastaseHe topped the rankings on August 23, 1973, when the ATP introduced its computer ranking system.
Prior to 1973, tennis rankings were determined primarily by journalists and national federations rather than a unified points system.
The youngest ATP world number one
The youngest player in ATP history to reach world number one is Lleyton Hewitt, who became world number one in November 2001 at the age of 20 years and eight months.
The oldest ATP number one in the world
The oldest player to maintain the ATP No. 1 ranking is Roger Federer, who returned to the top of the rankings in 2018 at the age of 36 years and 195 days.
The era of the three giants who ranked first in ATP
From the mid-2000s to the early 2020s, the world No. 1 ranking was dominated by three of the greatest players of the modern era:
- roger federer
- Rafael Nadal
- Novak Djokovic
The trio spent a combined total of more than 900 weeks at No. 1 and dominated men’s tennis for nearly two decades.
How the ATP Rankings Work
The ATP rankings are calculated using a 52-week rolling points system.
Players can earn ranking points based on results at ATP Tour tournaments, including:
- Grand Slam (winner gets 2,000 points)
- ATP Masters 1000 event
- ATP 500 events
- ATP 250 events
- ATP Challenger Tour events
Only a player’s best 19 games will count towards their overall ranking.
You can learn more in our guide to the ATP ranking system.
FAQ
How many players have become world number one in men’s tennis?
Since the ATP rankings were introduced in 1973, 29 players have reached the number one ranking in the world.
Who has been the ATP world number one for the longest time?
Novak Djokovic holds the record for the longest number of weeks in ATP history.
Who is the first ATP world number one?
The first ATP world number one was Ilie Năstase in 1973.
Who is the youngest ATP world number one?
The youngest world number one in the history of men’s tennis is Lleyton Hewitt.
