Roger Federer could reclaim No. 1 in the ATP Rankings next week, but the Swiss might have a difficult path in celebrating the historic achievement at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.
The top-seeded Federer needs to reach the semi-finals to return to the top spot for the first time since 4 November 2012. But the 36-year-old Swiss might have to beat his surging countryman Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals.
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Wawrinka is the fifth seed at the ATP World Tour 500, and appears to be well on his way to regaining top form. Wawrinka is in the semi-finals this week at the Diema Xtra Sofia Open in Bulgaria. Federer will face a qualifier in the first round and might face either German Philipp Kohlschreiber or Russian Karen Khachanov in the second round.
Federer first rose to No. 1 14 years ago on 2 February 2004 and holds the record for most weeks spent at No. 1 (302). If he makes the semi-finals and returns to No. 1, he will become the oldest No. 1, eclipsing Andre Agassi (33).
Federer moved to within 155 points of Rafael Nadal after claiming his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open last month. The Swiss right-hander has previously played the ATP World Tour 500 tournament eight times, taking the title in 2005 and 2012.
Oldest World No. 1
Player
Birthdate
Most Recent Date at No. 1
Age
Andre Agassi
29 April 1970
7 September 2003
33
Rafael Nadal
3 June 1986
18 February 2018*
31
Roger Federer^
8 August 1981
4 November 2012
31
Jimmy Connors
2 September 1952
3 July 1983
30
Ivan Lendl
7 March 1960
12 August 1990
30
* Nadal is guaranteed to stay No. 1 until at least 18 February 2018.
^ Roger Federer is 36 years old as of 19 February 2018.
Nadal, who is not scheduled to play again until Acapulco in the last week of February, has held No. 1 for the past 25 weeks (since 21 August 2017). The Spaniard has been No. 1 in the ATP Rankings a total of 166 weeks since first taking over on 18 August 2008. Nadal is seventh all-time in most weeks at No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings (since 1973).
First and Last Day at No. 1
Player
Debut at No. 1
Most Recent Date at No. 1
Time in Between
Rafael Nadal*
18 August 2008
18 February 2018
Nine years, 184 days
Jimmy Connors
29 July 1974
3 July 1983
Eight years, 339 days
Roger Federer^
2 February 2004
4 November 2012
Eight years, 276 days
Andre Agassi
10 April 1995
7 September 2003
Eight years, 150 days
Pete Sampras
12 April 1993
19 November 2000
Seven years, 221 days
* Nadal is guaranteed to stay No. 1 until at least 18 February 2018.
^ 19 February 2018 marks 14 years, 17 days since Roger Federer debuted at No. 1 on 2 February 2004.
Federer has a 23-6 record in Rotterdam. In addition to his two titles, he reached the final in 2001 and semi-finals in 2003. His last appearance at the Rotterdam Ahoy stadium in The Netherlands was 2013, when he lost in the quarter-finals to Julien Benneteau.
Longest Gap Between Stints at No. 1
Player
Lost No. 1
Regained No. 1
Time In Between
Andre Agassi
12 February 1996
5 July 1999
Three years, 142 days
Jimmy Connors
9 July 1979
13 September 1982
Three years, 65 days
Rafael Nadal
6 July 2014
21 August 2017
Three years, 45 days
Andre Agassi
11 September 2000
28 April 2003
Two years, 228 days
* February 19, 2018 marks five years, 106 days since Roger Federer was last No. 1 on 4 November 2012.
Should Federer make the semi-finals, his path hardly gets easier. Alexander Zverev could await in the last four, and on the opposite side of the draw, fourth seed David Goffin, who beat Federer at the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals, lurks along with World No. 4 Grigor Dimitrov, the second seed at the ATP World Tour 500 event.
Did You Know?
Federer leads all players with an Infosys Under Pressure Rating of 258. Learn more in Infosys Scores & Statsreadfullarticle
