The street to World No. 1 isn’t straight ahead. However some journeys have extra twists and turns than others, particularly these involving a slide from the mountain prime earlier than a character-building return to the summit.
To rejoice the fiftieth anniversary of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings this month, main tennis author and historian Joel Drucker displays on 5 outstanding runs to the highest.
Andre Agassi on the 1999 US Open. Picture Credit score: Jamie Squire/Allsport
Agassi Goes From Agony To Ecstasy
Andre Agassi had lengthy been tennis’ largest field workplace attraction. But in November 1997, he was competing at an ATP Challenger Tour occasion in his hometown of Las Vegas. World No. 1 simply over two years prior, Agassi at this level was No. 141.
Agassi’s morale had been sapped by his loss to Pete Sampras within the 1995 US Open. Over the subsequent two years, Agassi scarcely devoted himself to tennis. In 1997, he skipped the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon.
Issues bottomed out that autumn with a first-round loss in Stuttgart. Instantly got here a protracted dialog along with his coach, Brad Gilbert. As Agassi wrote in his autobiography, Open, “I say, OK, Brad, I’m not prepared for it to be over. I’m all in. Inform me what to do, and I’ll do it.” Cue his return to the Challenger Tour.
“My fall from the highest was compared to Bruce Springsteen taking part in on the native bar down the road,” Agassi later mentioned of his run to the ultimate in Las Vegas. “Folks speak about me being humbled on the market. Nicely for positive. I used to be preventing on the market and I used to be very removed from the place I had been. However what extra stunning place to begin the climb again than in your individual yard.”
By early 1998, Agassi’s newfound dedication was clear, confirmed vividly by a February win over Sampras within the ultimate of an ATP Tour occasion in San Jose, California. At 12 months’s finish, Agassi had soared again as much as World No. 6. That, although, was mere prologue for what was to come back.
Within the spring of 1999, Agassi nursed a shoulder damage, however was satisfied by Gilbert to play Roland Garros. Following a number of early-round struggles, he reached the ultimate for the third time. Twice Agassi had been the favorite however was upset. This time was completely different. Agassi rallied from two units to like all the way down to beat Andrei Medvedev and full the profession Grand Slam of successful all 4 majors.
From there, it solely acquired higher: a ultimate run at Wimbledon, winner on the US Open, the latter a formidable rally from two units to at least one down versus Todd Martin. With that victory, Agassi returned to No. 1. He later wrote about that second, “It’s the primary time I’ve felt, or dared to say aloud, that I’m a grown-up.”
Novak Djokovic on the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals. Picture Credit score: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Djokovic Falls Out The Prime 20, Finishes No. 1 The Identical Yr
The date was 5 June, 2018. Novak Djokovic entered the interview room at Roland Garros. He had simply misplaced within the quarter-finals to the No. 72-ranked Marco Cecchinato. This marked the fifth straight main the place Djokovic had failed to succeed in the semis.
So demoralised was Djokovic that, when requested his plans for Wimbledon, he mentioned: “I don’t know if I’m going to play on grass.” On condition that these feedback have been made instantly after a painful loss, solely a idiot dared imagine Djokovic would skip one of many world’s most prestigious tournaments.
Nonetheless, by the top of Roland Garros, Djokovic was World No. 22. It had been greater than 11 years since he’d been exterior the Prime 20 (October 2006).
Seeded twelfth at Wimbledon, Djokovic made his method to the semi-finals. Then, a masterpiece: victory over Rafael Nadal, a two-day basic that Djokovic received, 10-8 within the fifth. There adopted a win versus Kevin Anderson within the championship match.
Djokovic’s renaissance continued on the US Open, capped off within the ultimate when he defeated 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro. On 5 November, after reaching the ultimate on the Rolex Paris Masters, Djokovic returned to World No. 1.
Talking the subsequent week in London at the beginning of the Nitto ATP Finals, Djokovic mentioned: “5 months in the past, if you happen to instructed me that… I all the time imagine in myself, but it surely was extremely unbelievable at the moment contemplating my rating and the way in which I performed and felt on the court docket… I will most likely have the ability to communicate extra profoundly about it when the season is completed and hopefully if I get to complete as No. 1.”
Regardless of a ultimate loss to Alexander Zverev in London, Djokovic received his first 4 matches on the season finale in straight units to make sure it was mission completed.
Carlos Alcaraz with the year-end ATP No. 1 Trophy introduced by Pepperstone. Picture Credit score: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
‘Comet Carlos’: Alcaraz Surges To No. 1 Historical past
As soon as upon a time within the very latest previous there was an bold younger tennis participant named Carlos Alcaraz. This charismatic Spaniard has emerged not merely as a star. He’s a supernova, lighting up each court docket he performs on.
In 2021, Alcaraz turned 18 and generated a number of vital outcomes. Most notably, a quarter-final run on the US Open, highlighted by a third-round, fifth-set tie-break victory over World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas. That effort made Alcaraz the youngest man to succeed in a Grand Slam singles quarter-final in additional than 30 years. World No. 141 at the beginning of 2021, Alcaraz completed the 12 months at No. 32.
Name the primary half of 2022 “Comet Carlos.” Alcaraz quickly racked up one title after one other – February on the clay of Rio de Janeiro, April on laborious courts in Miami and the clay of Barcelona, Could on clay in Madrid. The Madrid run was notably spectacular, as Alcaraz beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic en path to the title. Much more, Alcaraz received with every thing followers crave – the widest attainable vary of photographs, a ardour for competitors, and first-rate sportsmanship.
Then, within the metropolis that by no means sleeps, Alcaraz lit up New York. Seeded fourth on the US Open, the 19-year-old took the title. It wasn’t simple. Three of his victories went 5 units. Towards Jannik Sinner within the quarter-finals, Alcaraz fought off a match level in a five-hour, 15-minute basic that ended at 2:50 a.m.
The ultimate was extra easy, Alcaraz beating Casper Ruud in 4 units. With that victory, Alcaraz rose to World No. 1 – making him the youngest man within the historical past of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings to realize that spot. “Nicely, it is loopy for me,” he mentioned. “I by no means thought that I used to be going to realize one thing like that at 19 years previous. The whole lot got here so quick.”
Roger Federer in full movement at Wimbledon in 2017. Picture Credit score: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
After 5 Years Away, Federer Climbs Again On Prime of the World
In February 2018, Roger Federer was 36 years previous. The way in which the Swiss maestro had turned again the clock over the previous 13 months would possibly properly comprise probably the most wonderful interval of his unbelievable profession.
In January 2017, Federer arrived in Melbourne for the Australian Open. He’d been away from competitors for six months, the results of a knee damage suffered at Wimbledon.
Federer was seeded seventeenth. It had been greater than 4 years since he’d received a significant. And the way would the knee reply?
However Down Beneath, Federer discovered the previous magic. Six victories introduced him to the ultimate. To boost the trophy as soon as once more, he must get previous his most formidable opponent, Rafael Nadal, who at that time led their rivalry 23-11.
Already as full a participant as there had ever been, Federer had been driving his backhand all through the match with extra conviction than ever – each earlier and tougher. The first goal: defuse Nadal’s high-bouncing topspin cross-court lefty forehand. Down 1-3 within the fifth set of the ultimate, Federer performed brilliantly, successful 5 straight video games to earn what was arguably probably the most satisfying of his 20 majors.
Extra nice tennis adopted. At Wimbledon, Federer received the championship with out the lack of a set – the primary man to do this in 41 years. In January 2018, a profitable title defence in Melbourne.
So it was that on 19 February, 2018, Federer returned to the highest spot he had final held greater than 5 years earlier. “I believe reaching No. 1 is the final word achievement in our sport,” he mentioned. “This one possibly means probably the most to me [of any achievement] all through my profession, attending to No. 1 and having fun with it proper right here at 36, nearly 37 years previous. [It] is an absolute dream come true, I can’t imagine it.”
Muster trains regardless of damage in 1989. Picture Credit score: Exler/ullstein bild through Getty Photos
The Gifted Mr. Muster
Expertise is a phrase typically related to the allegedly pure – elegant, easy. Tennis’ avatar is Roger Federer. However as one other legend, 39-time Grand Slam champion Billie Jean King, as soon as mentioned, “Persistence is a expertise.”
And in tennis, no another viscerally introduced that idea to life than Thomas Muster.
Muster’s belongings have been punishing groundstrokes, unsurpassed health, and a aggressive depth worthy of his fellow left-handers, Jimmy Connors and Rafael Nadal.
As 1989 started, Muster had cracked the Prime 20 and earned 5 tour-level singles titles – all on clay.
Wanting to show himself on all surfaces, Muster in January reached the semi-finals on the laborious courts of the Australian Open. He adopted that up in March with magnificent tennis in Miami. Within the final 4, Muster rallied from two units to like all the way down to beat Yannick Noah and earn the prospect to play Ivan Lendl within the ultimate of a match that was then informally often known as tennis’ fifth Grand Slam.
The victory over Noah meant that Muster would crack the Prime 10 for the primary time. And with the clay-court season simply across the nook, even better prospects have been on the horizon.
Then, tragedy. Hours after the win over Noah, as Muster searched inside his automobile, he was hit by a drunken driver, within the course of severing tendons in his left knee. There adopted 5 months of rigorous rehab. An iconic video exhibits Muster in a wheelchair, leg raised, repeatedly hitting forehands.
As soon as recovered, Muster willed his method again up the ranks. His 1995 marketing campaign was exceptionally productive. That 12 months, he received 12 tournaments – together with the one main of his profession at Roland Garros.
Additional payoff for persistence got here on 12 February, 1996, when Muster rose to World No. 1 for the primary time – almost seven years after that night time in Miami. “I don’t know the way many individuals can say that, measurably, they’ve been No. 1 at one thing, the very best on this planet,” he mentioned. “I liked that second.”
By means of tragedy and triumph, Muster had confirmed himself as one among tennis’ most brilliantly persistent rivals.