Rafael Nadal Clinches 2017 ATP Year-End No. 1 Ranking

by Staff | November 1st, 2017, 1:45 pm
  • 36 Comments

By beating Hyeong Chung in his opening match at the Paris Masters, Rafael Nadal locked up the year-end ATP No. 1 ranking for the fourth time in his career.

Nadal also finished No. 1 in 2008, 2010 and 2013. And last year he ended the season No. 9.

Nadal, who replaced Great Britain’s Andy Murray at No. 1 on August 21, has already won six titles this year including the French Open and the US Open.


At 31, Nadal is the oldest player to finish year-end No. 1 in ATP Rankings history (since 1973).

He is also the first player to finish No. 1 four times in non-consecutive years, the first aged over-30 and the first to finish in the top spot four years since he last achieved the feat (2013). The nine-year gap between his first year-end No. 1 season (2008) and his last (2017) is also a record.

“I’m very, very happy for everything,” said Nadal. “It has been an amazing year. One year ago, for sure I never dreamed about being World No. 1 again at the end of the season. It’s something that means a lot to me. But the season is not over.”

ATP MOST YEAR END NO. 1 FINISHES (since 1973)
6 – Pete Sampras
5 – Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer
4 – Rafael Nadal, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Novak Djokovic


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36 Comments for Rafael Nadal Clinches 2017 ATP Year-End No. 1 Ranking

chofer Says:

Congrats it’s what the menu orders.

Besides, whatever you think of THIS year, I’ve always found odd a player of Rafa’s calibre couldn’t catch up to Djoko, Lendl and McEnroe with years finished number one (with 4, now)

Think about Agassi has the same numbers of Murray: 1.

Anyone who thinks this is a weak era is an arsehole.


gonzalowski Says:

congrats Rafaaa!!!

chofer, well, not weak era, but this 2017 it’s being weak, clearly


chofer Says:

Gonza

I disagree. Rafa and Roger too good even for NextGen.


skeezer Says:

Congrats Rafa! Bee na great year for him.


gonzalowski Says:

chofer,
without Nole!! and without Andy! and Wawa from RG, Nishikori, Raonic some time too….


FedExpress Says:

Still think that Federer’s stands out more and should be the player of the season

Same like last year. Nole finished 2nd but won major titles than Murray (2 GS and 4 Masters to 1 GS and 3 Masters) hence should have been the player of the season. He also led the direct h2h that year.


j-kath Says:

Who-ever is no. 1 is the player of the year ….otherwise we do away with the point system and open up Pandora’s box….opening up to unsolvable arguments.


chofer Says:

without Nole!! and without Andy! and Wawa from RG, Nishikori, Raonic..

Exactly my point. None of the NextGens


Giles Says:

^^^^ Next Gen didn’t make it They’re all injured.


gonzalowski Says:

no, no, chofer my point is that without those stars is a weaker year for sure, forget those youngsters, I don’t understand you

j-kath 4:14 yes agree!


FedExpress Says:

Halep is the player of the year?!?!?! Cause she is No 1?!?!?

Wozniacki was No 1 in 2010 but Kim Clijsters became the WTA player of the year.

In 2012 Azarenka was No 1 but Serena was the player of the year.


FedExpress Says:

Righfully, Muguruza is the WTA player of the year 2017.


gonzalowski Says:

and Rafa ATP player of the year


chofer Says:

Gonza

I say this was a good tennis season in spite of the injured. That doesn’t mean there were good matches on important finals, save the AO and a couple of smaller tournaments like last week’s Basel. If you think when were Federer and Nadal last year, as of today, it could have been way worse! And frankly, any season who has these two as protagonists in absentia of the ones you mention it ain’t bad at all for me.

On the other hand, the lack of “drama” matches in GS Finals… Some years, it happens. The WTA had a handful of excellent matches this year. Tigh ones and a lot of three-setters even in finals. Regretfully, none of us were watching or interested enough to tell them apart. Shame on us but mostly on them because that tour can’t offer many storylines other than “that number one player just won ONE tournament all year.” The “stars” make the tour. Always. BTW, the Laver Cup offered plenty of entertainemnt, too! Unexpected for me.

Nextgenners are still too green to carry the tour by themselves. But I wouldn’t say this year was weak just bc some top 10 players were injured. Believe me when I tell you there were worse ones! I’m watching regularly since 1987. I can tell the “ugly” years if you want me to:)) (Spoiler alert: many in the late 90s)


j-kath Says:

Gonzalowski:

Thank you.


Okiegal Says:

Spot on JK at 4:14!! It is what it is…….


t4t Says:

I agree with all of gonzalowski’s posts! Obviously we think alike!


Humble Rafa Says:

skeezer Says:
Congrats Rafa! Bee na great year for him.

It’s words like these, even with intentional misspelling, that makes it all worth it.


Sivaji Says:

Congrats Rafa!, Irrespective of all arguments you are the best player of 2017.


Wog Boy Says:

Good job Rafa, as I predicted, #1 will be decided before WTF. Second part of prediction is yet to come, winning WTF.
O2 is not as fast as Shanghai and bounce is higher, just ask 36 years old, he lost three finals in O2 to Nole, so you will be right Humble, just shut down those idi@ts with cowbells in O2 like Nole did and I’ll buy you a drink, not that you need one.


Okiegal Says:

Rafa was ranked 9 last year and now #1 in the world! Who’d a thunk it??? I wonder who will win the poll that TX published at the beginning of the year?? Seems like I remember someone placing Rafa in the #1 position or was that another year??? My memory isn’t very reliable anymore….help me out TX staff!
A big CONGRATS to my guy! He’s an amazing athlete!


gonzalowski Says:

thanks t4t ! opposite the Cult ;)
chofer,
ok you talk about just before-Fed years then, don’t know it.
Fed-gen was like Nalbandian, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick, Nikolay Davydenko, Guillermo Coria, David Ferrer Marat Safin, Juan Carlos Ferrero o Fernando González.

Yes maybe I meant 2017 not as weak year, but ‘weaker’ than previous seasons.


j-kath Says:

Yep to Okie, W-B. Sivaji etc. “RRR” = Rafa Rightly Rules!

To Roger: Please play your very, very best vs. Andy next week.


squirrel Says:

Congrats Rafa!! Nice that he equals Nole for 4 times year-end no 1, he deserves that. Hope they both won’t surpass Fed at 5! hehehehe


AndyMira Says:

Hehehe….Oh!..not sure Rafa can surpass Roger’s 5 Squirrel..but Nole..very possibly to equal that[at least] when he’s return to the circuit & start winning again…


skeezer Says:

“It’s words like these, even with intentional misspelling, that makes it all worth it.”
The letters are all there, you just didn’t pass the puzzle test.


j-kath Says:

Re. Andy Murray – evidently Kim’s pregnancy is well advanced. Andy chose not to attend the Tennis Council meeting in Paris because she is evidently getting close to the birth – (Nole as the Chair) was there.


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leo Says:

Congratulations to Rafa Nadal! He earned it the hard way. What a comeback year! His fans should be stoked :-)


jatin Says:

Congrts Rafa and his fans. What an achievement !
Simply a LEGEND.


madmax Says:

Wog Boy Says:
Good job Rafa, as I predicted, #1 will be decided before WTF. Second part of prediction is yet to come, winning WTF.
O2 is not as fast as Shanghai and bounce is higher, just ask 36 years old, he lost three finals in O2 to Nole, so you will be right Humble, just shut down those idi@ts with cowbells in O2 like Nole did and I’ll buy you a drink, not that you need one.

November 1st, 2017 at 11:55 pm

How old are you Wogboy?

Rafa and Roger were neck and neck for Number 1, but well done to Rafa for clinching it right at the last moment.

I fully expect Roger to make a final push at O2 and win the trophy. His hard court record is simply outstanding. And that is against everyone.

Don’t cry Wogboy. Any congratulations from you for any player is transparent and thinly disguised. You are full of bitterness.


madmax Says:

Jatin,

True enough. Rafa is a legend. He truly is. I cannot imagine tennis without Rafa and more, without Roger. These two have just been on a roll this year.

When we all made predictions as to who was going to be Number 1, I think it was in January – who knows who will win that poll.

It is an incredible achievement, for sure.


Okiegal Says:

Rafa is out…..


FedExpress Says:

The YE No 1 is out.

Maybe he wont play the WTF after all.


Tennis Stud Says:

Rafa out of Paris due to knee problems. He didn’t retire during the match, it was a walk-over.


Jenny Shekersavva Says:

congratulations once again rafa you have achieved something spectacular keep up the good work for the coming year

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