Nadal becomes World’s No. 1

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA: Spaniard Rafael Nadal ascended to the No. 1 position in the South African Airways ATP Rankings Monday, replacing Swiss Roger Federer who had held the top spot for a record 237 consecutive weeks (since February 2, 2004).

Nadal, who had ranked No. 2 behind Federer for a record 160 consecutive weeks (since July 25, 2005), guaranteed himself the World No. 1 ranking after reaching the semifinals earlier this month at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati. The last player to rank No. 1 before Federer's reign was American Andy Roddick, the week of January 26, 2004.

"Nowhere in my best dreams I can imagine something like what I did this year," Nadal said after winning Olympic gold in Beijing Sunday. "I am playing an unbelievable season, no doubt. I have to be very happy for everything... The feeling for sure is very happy for being No. 1, but the feeling doesn't change too much because the last years I did very well too. It is a satisfaction... I want to enjoy these two days probably, but later I have to be focused on New York (for the US Open, which begins August 25)."

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The Mallorca native is the 24th player in the history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973) to hold the No. 1 position in the official rankings in men's tennis. He joins countrymen Carlos Moya (1999) and Juan Carlos Ferrero (2003) to rank No. 1. Nadal is also the fifth left-hander to rank No. 1, the first since Chilean Marcelo Rios in 1998. Other left-handers to hold the top position are Austrian Thomas Muster (1996), and Americans John McEnroe (1980) and Jimmy Connors (1974).

The Spaniard leads the ATP circuit with eight titles in 2008. In July, the 22-year-old became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the Roland Garros and Wimbledon double after dethroning five-time champion Federer in a five-set epic at the All England Club. Nadal followed by clinching his 12th career ATP Masters Series title, and third of the season, at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. He won 32 consecutive matches before falling to World No. 3 Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati semifinals.

"Rafa played great to get it,” said Federer. “That's what I expected and hoped for, many years ago when I got to No. 1, that if ever somebody were to take it away for me, he would have to play an incredible tennis schedule, win the biggest tournaments, dominate the game basically, and then like this he can take No. 1. So I think Rafa totally deserves it."

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ATP Executive Chairman Etienne de Villiers said: “Rafa's rise to World No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings is fitting reward for his phenomenal run of results in a difficult tennis year. His unbeaten run on clay and grass underlines Rafa's talent and the all round player he has become. It is no small feat to have ended Roger's record reign as the world's best player and now fans can look forward to both players continuing the most engrossing rivalry in world sport.”

THE NUMBER ONES:

Here is a list of the 24 players who have ranked No. 1 for the first time in the history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973):

COUNTRIES AT NO. 1

Nadal is the 24th player to hold No. 1 in the history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973) and he is the third male player from Spain to hold the top position. Here is a breakdown of the 12 countries at No. 1:

United States 6 (Connors, McEnroe, Courier, Sampras Agassi, Roddick)

Australia 3 (Newcombe, Rafter, Hewitt)

Spain 3 (Moya, Ferrero, Nadal)

Sweden 3 (Borg, Wilander, Edberg)

Russia 2 (Kafelnikov, Safin)

Austria 1 (Muster)

Brazil 1 (Kuerten)

Chile 1 (Rios)

Czech Republic 1 (Lendl)

Germany 1 (Becker)

Romania 1 (Nastase)

Switzerland 1 (Federer)