From Nastase To Sinner: ATP Unveils No. 1 Club With Exclusive Membership Of 29

By Barry Janoff

November 9, 2024: The Masters has its Green Jacket Club, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has its Gold Jacket Club and college football has the Heisman Trophy club.

The ATP Tour now has its No. 1 Club, stating “which for the first time in the 50-plus year history of the official rankings will unite all former, current and future ATP World No. 1 players.”

The ATP No. 1 Club includes what currently is an exclusive group of 29 players since ATP rankings began in 1973.

Ilie Nastase was first (Aug. 23, 1973-June 2, 1974), followed by John Newcombe, Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg. John McEnroe became the fifth member of the club on March 3, 1980.

More recent members of the ATP No. 1 Club include Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and current No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

A dedicated Web site links to bios of all 29 players.

“Reaching the summit of the rankings is the ultimate achievement in our sport,” Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP chairman, said via the organization.

“Only 29 players have had what it takes to secure the No. 1 spot — not only striking talent, but a level of resilience, self-belief and devotion that is admired far beyond the realm of tennis.”

The ATP No. 1 Club was unveiled in conjunction with the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy (Nov. 10-17 Tennis Channel).

ATP has also unveiled a promo spot, “Introducing The No. 1 Club.”

“It takes a special one,” offers a voiceover as we see shots of the players in action. “The youngest one to ever do it (Alcaraz), Or the one destined to inspire (Pete Sampras) or the one unafraid to play with fire (John McEnroe)

“The one that kept us on our toes. The one that feared no rival. The one that did his way. And the one that refused to blend in (Andre Agassi).

“The one that’s writing history (Djokovic). And the one that changed his country’s (Andy Murray). The one that set the standard (Connor). And the one that battled to the very end (Nadal).

“It takes one to be remembered. Not everyone can be No. 1.”

Next year, as a celebration of the No. 1 Club, all 29 players will be officially honored at a showpiece event during the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. To mark the occasion, each player will be presented with a bespoke gift to commemorate their membership.

“Nothing compares to achieving the world No. 1 ranking,” Alcaraz said via the ATP. “It’s what you strive for as a tennis player — to be the best, to have no one above you.”

According to Sinner, “Becoming the No. 1 is a childhood dream. It’s an honor to sit among the greats of our sport as part of the No.1 Club, each one of us bringing something unique to the game.”

According to the ATP, Djokovic has spent the most weeks as world No. 1, a record total 428 weeks.

Djokovic also holds the record for the most year-end No. 1 finishes, achieving the feat for eight years (including the two pandemic-impacted seasons).

Federer has a record 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1.

Sampras held the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record six consecutive years.

Alcaraz is both the youngest world No. 1 (19 years, 4 months) and the youngest year-end No. 1 (19 years, 7 months).

“Nothing compares to achieving the world No. 1 ranking. It’s what you strive for as a tennis player — to be the best, to have no one above you.”

Djokovic is both the oldest world No. 1 (37 years, 16 days) and the oldest year-end No. 1 (36 years, 7 months).

Federer is the player with the longest time span (14 years) between his first and most recent dates at No. 1 (February 2004–June 2018).

Nadal is the only player to hold the top ranking in three different decades, spanning 11 years and 5 months (2008–2020).

Djokovic has the longest time span (12 years) between his first and last year-end No. 1 finish (2011–2023), and is the only player to be ranked No. 1 at least once in a year for 13 different years.

John McEnroe held the No. 1 ranking a record 14 times. Sampras and Djokovic are the only two other players to have held it ten or more times, with 11 and ten times, respectively.

The ATP No.1 Club is a celebration of the spectacular ways that these players have shaped the game,” said Gaudenzi. “And, with fans at the heart of everything we do, it creates an entertainment spectacle aimed at bringing them closer than ever before to the players they love.”

Full ATP list in order of their first time at No. 1:

Ilie Nastase

John Newcombe

Jimmy Connors

Bjorn Borg

John McEnroe

Ivan Lendl

Mats Wilander

Stefan Edberg

Boris Becker

Pete Sampras

Andre Agassi

Thomas Muster

Marcelo Rios

Carlos Moya

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Patrick Rafter

Marat Safin

Gustavo Kuerten

Lleyton Jewitt

Juan Carlos Ferrero

Andy Roddick

Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic

Andy Murray

Daniil Medvedev

Carlos Alcaraz

Jannik Sinner

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