Many tennis players have proven themselves to be the best of all not only in the initial years of their career but also continued their legacy in the very end. They have achieved the most success in their career and yet thrived on being the best even during the end years of their career. SportzPoint.com presents you a list of the top 10 oldest number one ATP ranking player in tennis.

10. Thomas Muster | 28 years 186 days

The former world No. 1 player was one of the world's leading clay court players of the 90s. He reached the top of the table on 12 February 1996 and stayed for six weeks at the top of the ATP Rankings till 8 April 1996. He ended his final stint of No. 1 ranking at the age of 28 years and 186 days.

Read also: Top 10 highest-paid tennis players of 2021

9. Pete Sampras | 29 years 91 days

At the age of only 21 years and 243 days, Sampras reached the top of the rankings in April 1993. He held the record for most weeks at No.1 for 286 weeks until surpassed by Federer. He started playing professionally in 1988 and ended with a massive win at the 2002 US Open defeating longtime rival Andre Agassi in the finals.

8. John Newcombe | 30 years 11 days

John Newcombe climbed to the top of the Open Era on 3 June 1974 and continued the streak till 28 July of the same year. He spent 8 weeks at the No. 1 and the last time he was at the top was on 30 years and 66 days.

7. Andy Murray | 30 years 90 days

On 7 November 2016, Andy Murray was crowned the ATP ranked No.1 tennis player at the age of 29 years and 176 days. His legacy continued for 41 weeks and ended on 20 August 2017. He is the winner of 3 Grand Slam titles and reached eleven major finals.

Read also: ATP Tour records: Most titles in tennis career (men's)

6. Ivan Lendl | 30 years 150 days

Ivan Lendl stayed at the No. 1 rank for 270 weeks. During a career from 1978 to 1994, he stayed at the top of the table the last time was on 12 August 1990. The former Czech-American player is the winner of 8 Grand Slam titles. Also, he's the first male tennis player who appeared in 19th Grand Slam finals.

5. Jimmy Connors | 30 years and 304 days

Jimmy Connors reached the ATP ranked No. 1 tennis player for the first time in 1974 and spent 268 weeks at the top. During that time, it was a record of 160 consecutive weeks. 20 June 1983 was the final day of being at the No.1. Also, he was the first male player to stay at No.1 for more than 200 weeks.

4. Andre Agassi | 33 years and 100 days

Andre Agassi started playing professional tennis in 1986 and continued till 2006. During these 20 years, he became the first man to win all four Grand Slam singles tournaments on three different surfaces. Before Novak, he was the first man to win four Australian Open singles titles. He reached the world No. 1 ranking for the first time in 1995 and again returned to No. 1 in 1999. Also, he stayed at the top of the rankings for 101 weeks. On April 28, 2003, at the age of 33 years and 100 days, he recaptured the No. 1 ranking. During that time, he was the oldest top-ranked male player, which was later surpassed by Federer in 2018.

Read also: Players with most aces hit in tennis history

3. Rafael Nadal | 33 years and 244 days

On 18 August 2008, Rafael Nadal was first crowned the No.1 on the ATP Rankings at the age of 22 years and 76 days. Currently, the ATP ranked No. 5 player, has stayed at the top rank of No. 1 in the for 209 weeks. The 35-year-old finished as the year-end No.1 five times and the last time he was at the No.1 position was on 20 January 2020.

2. Roger Federer | 36 years 195 days

Roger Federer is the oldest No.1 ATP-ranked player. At the age of 36 years and 195 days, on 19 February 2018, he became the oldest world No. 1. Also, he clinched the world No.1 position for the most weeks of 310 weeks. This also included a record of 237 consecutive weeks. Lastly, the Swiss player finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

1. Novak Djokovic | 36 years 321 days

Aged 24 years and 43 days, Novak Djokovic became the ATP ranked world No.1. for the first time on 4 July 2011. His highest streak of being the world No.1 continued for 424th weeks. The 24-time Grand Slam winner is currently the ATP-ranked world No.1 tennis player since 3 February 2020 and broke the record for the oldest No.1 ranked player at the age of 36 years and 321 days old. 

The Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments in tennis and is held annually in Melbourne, Australia.

The tournament has been held since 1905 and has seen some of the greatest players in the sport compete for the title. 

Also Read: Most matches won in Grand Slams by any player | Top 10 List

In this article, we will brief you on the Australian Open winners list (Men).

Jannik Sinner claims Australian Open 2025 title

Jannik Sinner won the latest edition of the Australian Open after defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. 

With this, the Italian becomes the first man to retain the title since Novak Djokovic’s “three-peat” from 2019 to 2021.

Aged 23 years 163 days, Sinner is also the youngest man to win multiple Australian Open titles since Jim Courier in 1992-93.

Djokovic won the most titles

Over the last decade, the tournament has been dominated by Novak Djokovic who has won the tournament ten times in this period (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023).

The only other players to win the tournament in this time are Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka. 

Djokovic's record in the tournament is impressive, with his ten wins coming in a consecutive period of 11 years.

He has been able to defeat some of the greatest players in the world, such as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, in the final of the tournament.

Djokovic also has two hat-tricks of Australian Open titles, once between 2011-2013 and then doing an encore from 2019-2021.

The Serbian’s first Australian Open crown came in 2008, when he came from a set down to beat Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6.

Djokovic has beaten Andy Murray in as many as four Australian Open finals while he has also beaten Rafael Nadal in two finals.

Also Read: Tennis Stats: Players to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles without losing

Roger Federer won the title twice in last decade 

On the other hand, Roger has won the Australian Open twice in the last decade, in 2017 and 2018. 

He has been a finalist in the tournament five times in this period, showing his consistency at the tournament. 

While Stan Wawrinka has won the Australian Open once, in 2014. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the final, who was the defending champion at the time. 

This win was a major upset and Wawrinka proved that he is capable of winning the biggest tournaments in the world.

It is interesting to note that, in the last decade, the men's singles of the Australian Open has been dominated by Swiss players, with four out of the ten titles won by either Roger Federer or Stan Wawrinka.

While Novak Djokovic, another Swiss player, has dominated the tournament with 10 titles. This shows the strength of Swiss players in the tennis world, particularly on hard courts.

Australian Open Winners list (Men)

The Grand Slam tournaments, also known as majors are the most important Tennis tournament. It is also considered as the world's four most important annual professional tennis tournaments.

Grand Slam is referred to the achievement of winning all four major championships in the same calendar year. The four Grand Slam championships are the Australian Open, French Open, Us Open and Wimbledon.

That's why it is also called the "Calendar-year Grand Slam" or "Calendar Slam". Players get most ranking points, prize money, public and media attention in this prestigious Tennis tournament.

Also Read: Most Matches Played in Grand Slam

So let's have a tour of the most matches won in Grand slams from top 10 list.

Most matches won in Grand Slams

10. John McEnroe | 167

John McEnroe, the American former Tennis player is in the 10th place of the top ten list of most matches won in Grand Slams.

Between 1977 and 1992 John McEnroe won 167 Grand Slam men’s singles matches.

The majority of his wins came at Wimbledon and the US Open with McEnroe sporting an 18-5 record at the Australian Open and a 25-10 record at the French Open.

He has won seven Grand Slam singles title including four at the US Open and three at Wimbledon.

Besides, he has won nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles- five at Wimbledon and four at the US Open and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the French Open.

He made a record of 82-3 in singles.

9. Stefan Edberg | 178

Stefan Edberg is the master of the serve-and-volley style in tennis. The former Swedish tennis player once served as a coach for the defending champion Roger Federer.

Edberg has won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles between 1985 and 1996.

Edberg claimed his personal high tally (56 match wins) at the Australian Open, playing the event at two different venues.

Although both his titles in Melbourne came on the grass courts of the Kooyong Stadium.

8. Andy Murray | 200

The British professional Tennis player was coached by his mother alongside with his brother.

Murray crossed the 200 threshold at the 2023 US Open and is one of two players entered into that tournament on this list.

He has won three Grand Slam singles title- two at Wimbledon and one at the US Open. He has reached eleven major finals.

Besides, Murray has won 46 ATP singles title, including 14 ATP Masters 1000 events.

7. Pete Sampras | 203

Pete Sampras, the American former tennis player was once named 'Pistol Pete' for his precise and powerful serve.

He has won 14 major singles titles- seven Wimbledon titles, two Australian Open and a joint Open Era record five US Open titles.

At his home Slam he would end on 71 match wins going out on a winning streak.

Also read: Federer vs Nadal vs Djokovic: Grand slam titles in detail

6. Ivan Lendl | 222

Ivan Lendl was the player from Czechoslovakia but later he obtained American citizenship. He is recognized as one of the greatest tennis player of all time.

Lendl was all out on 222 as he rounded off his 17-year professional career.

He won 205 matches at Grand Slam tournaments representing Czechoslovakia and 17 matches after his defection to the United States.

The former professional tennis player has achieved eight major singles titles and played 19 major finals.

He was runner-up a joint record 11 times, tied with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

5. Andre Agassi | 224

The American world No.1 tennis player, Andre Agassi has to retire early from tennis as he was suffering from Sciatica. Still he has made many achievements in his tennis career.

He is the eight-time champion of major singles titles. He is an Olympic gold medalist as well as runner-up of seven other majors.

Agassi finished his career second on this list but would later be overtaken by the members of the big three.

4. Jimmy Connors | 233

Jimmy Connors was the second man in the Open Era to win three major titles in a calendar year.

Though he didn't permit to play the fourth major. The American former tennis player has achieved eight major singles titles- five US Open, two Wimbledons and one Australian Open.

Before the big three, Jimmy Connors held an impressive Grand Slam match win tally that some thought was unsurpassable.

3. Rafael Nadal | 314

Rafael Nadal has won 22 major singles titles. The right-handed player's main strength is his forehand.

The Spanish tennis player has a record of 14 French Open titles. Besides, he has won 92 ATP singles titles and 36 Masters titles.

He has won 112 matches at Roland Garros, a mark that will truly take some beating.

His 97% win rate at Roland Garros would stand out in any era but considering the kind of opponents he came up against he is the King of Clay.

2. Novak Djokovic | 361

The Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic dominate the men's Tennis. He is the most consistent player of this era.

Currently second but almost certainly odds on to finish his career atop this and many other lists is Novak Djokovic.

He claimed his 361st Grand Slam win in the final of the US Open in 2023.

Djokovic has achieved record 24 major singles titles and made a record of winning more than 80 matches in four Grand Slams.

He is the only man to complete a non-calendar year Grand Slam and the first man in the Open Era to achieve a double career Grand Slam.

Djokovic could even pull in Nadal’s 112 match wins at Roland Garros, although that would mean playing until at least 2026.

Also Read: Tennis Stats: Players to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles without losing

1. Roger Federer | 369

Roger Federer also dominate the men's tennis along with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The three of them are known as the 'Big Three'.

Federer blazed his way to 369 Grand Slam match wins across his incredible career.

Also Read: Roger Federer: A Look At The Career Of One Of The Best Tennis Players

The Swiss tennis player has won 20 major singles titles and a record six-year Wimbledon titles. he break Pete Sampras' record of 14 major singles titles at Wimbledon in 2009.

His final Grand Slam match was his defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at the 2021 edition of Wimbledon.

To play at a consistent level at Grand Slams is a very difficult task. Rod Laver and Novak Djokovic are the two contrasting examples. In the Open Era, Rod Laver won 4 majors consecutively in 1969 and Novak Djokovic won 4 majors from mid-2015 to mid-2016. 

Also Read: Most Matches Played in Grand Slam

Let's take a look at the tennis Stats of players who won back-to-back Grand Slam titles without losing.

Tennis Stats | Players to win back-to-back Grand Slams

Rod Laver | 4 

Rod Laver knows what it takes to complete tennis’ ultimate achievement, having won the Grand Slam as an amateur in 1962 and again as a pro in 1969. He defeated Tony Roche in the US Open final (7-9, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2) to win a fourth consecutive major title. Laver won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open in the same calendar year (1969), which still stands as a unique achievement in the Open era.

As a professional Laver was banned from playing the Grand Slam tournaments as well as other tournaments. In 1968, Laver was again able to compete. During his career, he won eleven Grand Slam tournaments, eight Pro Slam tournaments, and five Davis Cup titles. He was also the first player to win four consecutive Grand Slams in the same calendar year in 1962.

Novak Djokovic | 4

Novak Djokovic also achieved four consecutive Grand Slam titles. He won the last two majors of 2015 (Wimbledon and US Open) and the first two Slams of 2016 (Australian Open and French Open). By winning the title in Paris in 2016, Djokovic completed a 'Career Grand Slam' (winning all four major tournaments), the fourth man to do so in the open era after Andre Agassi (1999), Roger Federer (2009) and Rafael Nadal (2010). He also completed a golden slam in 2023 when he won all four grand slams and the Olympic games. 

Djokovic is the first man to win 24 Slam titles. He has tied Margaret Court for the most ever of any player in any era. Djokovic also won 10 Australian Open, which makes him the record holder for the most titles at that tournament. 

Also Read: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam Finals in Men's Tennis

Swiss tennis great Roger Federer wrote an emotional letter on the retirement of his close friend Rafael Nadal. Rafa, 22 Grand Slam winner, announced his retirement only last month at Davis Cup final in Málaga, Spain.

Also Read: Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List

Federer, 43, who retired two years ago after winning 20 major titles, wrote, “As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional. Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge,” 

Federer recalled their first meeting

Federer and Nadal had the greatest rivalry in the history of the sport. They first faced each other in Miami in 2004, where the Spaniard defeated then world No. 1 Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 32.

Recalling their first meeting, Federer said, “OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype."

Federer praised Nadal's skills on clay and thanked him for making him a better player. He wrote, “We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens—historic! You made Spain proud… you made the whole tennis world proud."

The 'Fedal' rivalry

Notably, the 'Fedal' rivalry has seen some of the most spectacular tennis matches, including the Wimbledon 2008 final, in which Nadal defeated Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7. In total, they faced each other 40 times, with Nadal holding the head-to-head record 24–16.

“I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies." Federer added.

Also Read: Most Olympic Gold medals in Tennis history (Men's)

Nadal was on the same side on Federer's last match

In Federer's last professional tennis match, Rafael Nadal was on the same side of the court as the two paired up to play a doubles match at the Laver Cup in London in 2022. After the match, a photo of Federer and Nadal sitting on the bench, holding hands and crying, went viral on social media.

“And then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career,”

Few names are synonymous with greatness in tennis, and even fewer stand on an equal footing with Roger Federer. Blessing the sport for well over two decades, he has left an indelible mark on the sport with not merely his extraordinary talent but a never-yielding commitment towards excellence.

The following article develops a detailed milestone in the extremely illustrious career of Roger Federer and enumerates reasons that make him one of the finest tennis players the world has ever seen.

Early Years and Rise to Prominence

In fact, it was not until the middle of the 1990s that Roger Federer finally began his rise to tennis stardom with displays of his presence among promising juniors. In 1998, he won both the Wimbledon junior singles and doubles titles, which by then evidentially showed his potential to be able to dominate the game. In the years following his entry onto the professional circuit, however, Federer remained very much a young man learning and growing.

When Federer started ATP tours in 1998, he was able to list his first ATP victory in the same calendar year. It was not that easy for him to turn from a junior into a professional; gradually, his patience was justified as it helped him climb the ranking ladder. Breakthrough and Dominance Federer finally broke through in 2003 when he won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon.

Read Also | Most Wimbledon Titles in Open Era (Men) 

This victory marked the beginning of an era of dominance in male tennis. Throughout the years 2003-2007, Federer has won 11 Grand Slam singles titles, including five successive Wimbledon titles.

His articulated game style, developed through flowing effortless motion and the uncanny ability to adjust to the surface of play, made him almost unbeatable. The greatness of Federer's rivalry with Rafael Nadal, which began at this time, further added an exciting story to his career as the two challenged each other to new heights.

Read Also | Tennis Facts: Top 10 Oldest World No.1 tennis players in history (men and women) 

Challenges and Resurgence

The late 2000s and the early 2010s were, by comparison, poor times for Federer-especially with the coming of Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Injuries and the physical wear from years at the top began to take their mark, and Federer started to witness some erosion in his dominance. Despite those challenges, he has still competed at the highest level, capturing Grand Slam victories and remaining near the top of the rankings.

For fans and bettors alike, Federer's matches since then are still a staple in Tennis parlay picks as he seemed to have reinvented his game to accommodate the younger talent that surrounded him. Strong and skilful, he continued being able to extend his career well beyond what most had projected.

Read Also | Most Matches Played in Grand Slam 

The Golden Years: 2017-2018

What can really be termed as a renaissance, Federer returned to Grand Slam glory in the year 2017 when he won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles at 35 years of age. This victory in the Australian Open in the year 2017 was all the more memorable because he defeated Nadal in an exciting five-set final, the feistiness and competitive spirit remained unruffled.

Read Also | Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List 

The following year, Federer furthered his winning ways as he won his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Such victories cemented his legacy and proved that for the Swiss Maestro, age was just a number. Final Years and Legacy With Federer well into the tail-end of his career, injuries started to happen more often, and his appearances on tours were limited.

Yet, even in these years of twilight, Federer continued to ‌display the elegance and precision that had defined his game. Thus, when he called for ‌retirement in 2022, an era folded into the night. Still, his influence on the sport remains profound. ‌

The greatness of Federer's legacy does not lie in the titles and records that he holds, but in the grace, sportsmanship, and love with which he played the game, thereby inspiring a million hearts. He has set a standard for excellence and professionalism for which future generations of players will be striving to equal.

Conclusion

The career of Roger Federer speaks volumes about what talent, hard work, and an iron commitment to one's craft can accomplish. From the young prodigy out of Switzerland, all the way through to the persistence and brilliance arguably by the finest tennis player ever to step foot on the court.

And that brings in the fact that, as tennis of the future continues to unravel, the legacy of Federer will be that shining star guiding us all on how high we can reach when passion and purpose combine.