Nadal takes over as new No. 1 on the ATP Tour
For the first time since 2004, someone other than Roger Federer is the No. 1-ranked player in men's tennis.
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Rafael Nadal, winner of two Grand Slams and the Olympic gold medal this year, officially dethroned Federer as the top player on the ATP Tour on Monday.
"Nowhere in my best dreams I can imagine something like what I did this year," Nadal said after winning the gold medal in Beijing. "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 U.S. Open]."
Federer held the top spot for a record 237 consecutive weeks after becoming No. 1 on Feb. 2, 2004. Nadal was ranked No. 2 behind him for a record 160 weeks, since July 25, 2005.
Federer acknowledged that Nadal deserved the top spot.
"Rafa played great to get it," Federer said. "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."
Nadal defeated Federer in this year's French Open and Wimbledon finals. On Sunday, he defeated Fernando Gonzalez at the Beijing Games to win the gold medal, the first for Spain in the sport.
Nadal, who has won 38 of his past 39 matches, is the third Spaniard to hold the top spot in the men's rankings, joining countrymen Carlos Moya (1999) and Juan Carlos Ferrero (2003).
In the women's rankings, Serbia's Jelena Jankovic was ousted as world No. 1 by compatriot Ana Ivanovic after holding the position for just one week.
Ivanovic, who was No. 1 for nine weeks before Jankovic's brief reign, will retain top spot for at least three weeks.
The 20-year-old French Open champion pulled out of the Beijing Olympics last week with a right thumb injury. Jankovic lost to Russia's Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
