Federer becomes longest-serving ATP world number one
July 17, 2012 09:29 am
Roger Federer is now the longest-serving world number one in the history of the ATP world rankings. When the new ranking list was published on Monday, the Wimbledon champion’s name was still top of it - the 287th time that has been the case.
He therefore passes Pete Sampras’ tally of 286 weeks as world number one and adds another record to his name.
ATP chairman Brad Drewett said claiming the record was the “ultimate testament to his excellence and longevity”.
Federer currently tops the ATP list by just 75 points from previous number one Novak Djokovic.
The 30-year-old Federer, whose success at Wimbledon was his 17th grand slam title and saw him move level with Sampras and William Renshaw as record seven-time winners at the All England club, said: “It is really an amazing feeling for me to have regained the number one ranking on the ATP World Tour.
“I had set a goal with my team to try and get back to the top of the rankings, but I never thought with the depth in the game this year that I would have been able to get it back so quickly.
“I am extremely proud and honoured to have beaten Pete’s record as he was my childhood hero and I have always looked up to him.”
Sampras added on www.atpworldtour.com: “Great effort. The hardest thing to do in sports is the ability to stay on top. Roger has been able to do so by great play and durability.”
Federer is now guaranteed to keep the number one spot through the Olympics when the situation could change since the gold medallist will receive 750 ranking points. (ESPNstar)
