Nadal secures no.1 spot for year-end ranking

At the close of the tennis season, Rafael Nadal gained the number 1 spot for the second time within three years.

Spain’s tennis star was able to win the French Open, U.S. Open, and Wimbledon in this year’s season was also able to reach the top of ATP rankings in 2008.

According to Nadal, “It has been an incredible season – one of my best ever, if not the best… I worked very hard to get back on top and it feels really good to know I will end the year in No. 1.”

Nadal reigns over the ranks with 12,025 points. This puts him a good 5,000 points ahead of Novak Djokovic. Former No. 1 player, Roger Federer, ends the year with 6,735 points.

Over the course of his career, Nadal has won nine major titles. He is also known for being one of seven men who have been able to complete a career Grand Slam. This year, he leads the ATP Tour with his six victories and a record of 59-7.

So far, Nadal, Ivan Lendl, and Roger Federer are the only players to have captured, lost, and then regained the year-end top spot.

Since 1973, when the rankings started, there have been only eight players who were able to reach the No. 1 spot more than one time. Incidentally, among the nine players, Rafael Nadal joins Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe as the only left-handed players.