Tennis
Tennis Players with the Most Consecutive Weeks at No.1
Breaking into elite tennis and gaining ranking points is challenging. Scaling the heights of the professional game and reaching the top is another matter altogether. The ATP Tour has been around for over 50 years, and there have been some incredible champions during that time. Players who have been dedicated to their craft have been duly rewarded, and the six stars that we have discussed in their guide all have one thing in common: an insatiable appetite for success. At SportsBoom, we have given an overview of the six players who ruled the roost and spent the most consecutive weeks at the summit of tennis.
Novak Djokovic/Getty Images
ATP Players that have spent the Most Consecutive Weeks at No.1
Before we give the lowdown on the tennis players that have dominated the men’s tennis, we have dissected the data and presented our findings in a table.
This includes not just the number of consecutive weeks at No.1 which is the overriding theme of this piece, but we have also detailed the year-end No.1s. This is key as it gives fans an idea of their overall performances throughout the season on the ATP Tour.
Players were often able to successfully defend points from Grand Slams and Masters tournaments. Oh, and in case you need a reminder, we have mentioned the number of Grand Slam titles they lifted in their careers.
Table of the ATP Players that have spent the Most Consecutive Weeks at No.1
| Player | Country | Most Consecutive Weeks at No.1 | Year-End No.1s | Grand Slam Titles Won |
| Roger Federer | Switzerland | 237 | 5 | 20 |
| Jimmy Connors | USA | 160 | 5 | 8 |
| Ivan Lendl | USA | 157 | 4 | 8 |
| Novak Djokovic | Serbia | 122 | 8 | 24* |
| Pete Sampras | USA | 102 | 6 | 14 |
| Rafael Nadal | Spain | 56 | 5 | 22 |
*Novak Djokovic is the only active player on this list.
Profiles of the Tennis Players that have spent the most weeks at No.1
It’s time to run through in chronological order the players that spent the most consecutive weeks at the pinnacle of the men’s game. We’ve provided mini-profiles and mentioned some of their career highlights.
Roger Federer
One of the most popular players to have graced the game, Roger Federer brought artistry to tennis with his stunning single-handed backhand, and with his fantastic footwork, he made things look effortless.
His career was marked by many highs, but there were also plenty of losses, including painful Grand Slam defeats, such as the Wimbledon final in 2008 against Rafael Nadal and in 2019 against Novak Djokovic.
In total, Federer spent 310 weeks at the summit of the game, and 237 weeks on the bounce was staggering. Although he’s been passed for majors, Federer is second on the list for most career titles (103).
Jimmy Connors
Bullish on the court and with a fiery temper that spilt over at times, Jimmy Connors is the most successful player in the men’s game based on titles won (109).
Apart from spending 160 weeks at No.1 and finishing the year as No.1 on five occasions, Connors had a career that many would be envious of.
The American was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998, and he was one of the early trailblazers.
Ivan Lendl
While many will know Ivan Lendl for coaching Andy Murray, the Czech-born American had a pretty impressive career by all accounts.
Well, he spent 270 weeks at the summit of the men’s game, and 157 consecutive weeks at No.1. Lendl’s win-loss record stands at 1068-242, and while he often tripped up in Grand Slam finals, he still got his hands on eight of them.
Perhaps one of his greatest achievements was battling from two sets down against John McEnroe in the 1984 French Open final before pulling one of the greatest comebacks. Lendl was a no-nonsense kind of guy, but a player that held the No.1 spot with distinction.
Novak Djokovic
The only active player on the list, Novak Djokovic’s numbers are incredible. In 2023, he broke Steffi Graf’s record when he enjoyed his 378th week at the top of the rankings.
Currently, he has 24 Grand Slam titles to his name, and he’s still in the five of the rankings at the ripe age of 37 which is astonishing given the quality of players he’s surrounded.
One of the most standout features of Djokovic’s game is his mental mastery, and his ability to keep pushing himself despite having achieved everything he set out to do. In total, he spent 428 weeks at No.1, a record that could stand for some time, and he enjoyed 122 consecutive weeks in this position.
Rafael Nadal
He may have only retired at the back end of 2024, but Rafael Nadal has cemented an amazing legacy.
With 14 French Open titles to his name (22 Grand Slams in total), Nadal was the undisputed clay court king. Injuries may have hampered him, but he was dogged, and he spent a total of 209 weeks at No.1.
Although only 56 of these weeks were consecutive, nobody can deny what Nadal brought to the game, and he inspired so many around him.
Pete Sampras
The king of the jungle in the 1990s, Pete Sampras was perhaps more mechanical in style compared to some of the players on this list, but he spent 102 weeks at No.1, and he was a four-time ATP World Tour Finals champion.
Famed for his rivalry with Andre Agassi (52 weeks at No.1), the American relished Wimbledon, lifting the title on seven occasions, and he had a big game.
At a time when serving and volleying was in vogue, Sampras finished with 14 Grand Slam titles, and he’s still remembered fondly.
FAQs
Although Djokovic has spent the most weeks at No.1, Roger Federer spent the most consecutive weeks there (237).
No player has won more titles than Jimmy Connors. The American claimed a record 109 titles during his career.
Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.