How Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer Fared in Their First Tournaments as World No. 1
Alexander Zverev Joins the Ranks of World Number Ones
Alexander Zverev became the 30th official world number one recently, claiming the top spot from Jannik Sinner after his victory over Tallon Griekspoor at the Vienna Open round of 16. His debut tournament as world number one will be the Paris Masters.
Novak Djokovic’s Early Success at No. 1
Novak Djokovic first reached world number one after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2011 Wimbledon semifinals, overtaking Rafael Nadal. Reflecting on the achievement, Djokovic joked about how few opportunities there are to become number one, saying you need to lose just one match in seven months to get there.
He then won Wimbledon by defeating Nadal in the final. Riding that momentum, Djokovic took the Canadian Open title soon after, besting a series of players including Nikolay Davydenko, Marin Cilic, Gael Monfils, Tsonga again, and Mardy Fish in the final. This win made him the first player to capture five Masters 1000 titles since the format changed in 2009. Djokovic called the accomplishment "history-making" and felt honored to be part of tennis history.
Rafael Nadal’s Rise and US Open Run
Rafael Nadal claimed the number one ranking following his gold medal win at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he defeated Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in the final. This achievement allowed him to surpass Roger Federer in the rankings.
"That year [2008], Novak started to play so well. For me it was another tough rival," Nadal said in a 2025 interview with the ATP. "I had been there before but never reached number one. Another great player was coming, so maybe I would never be No. 1. That’s why achieving it was very important to me. I believe I deserved it after maintaining a high level nearly every week for three and a half years."
After becoming world number one, Nadal played the US Open, where he won against Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish to reach the semifinals. He was ultimately defeated by Andy Murray in four sets.
Roger Federer’s Debut and Davis Cup Performance
Roger Federer first became world number one after defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in the 2004 Australian Open semifinals. He went on to win the title by beating Marat Safin in the final.
"I'm happy to have had a great start to the season and to finally be number one," Federer said then. "It does make me feel really strange."
Following his breakthrough, Federer represented Switzerland in the Davis Cup against Romania. He secured wins over Victor Hanescu and Andrei Pavel, helping Switzerland to a 3-2 victory. He later competed in Rotterdam, winning against Arnaud Clement and Pavel before losing to British player Tim Henman.
