Rafael Nadal will celebrate his 1000th consecutive top-100 week in three months, joining Roger Federer on a massive ranking record. With Federer leaving the ATP ranking list in July, Nadal stands as the player with the most consecutive weeks in the mentioned group, moving closer to the milestone 1000th week in a row.
Nadal celebrated his 900th top-100 week in a row in December 2020, following Federer’s steps and joining the Swiss on that feat. The 22-time Major champion has been a synonym for consistency, cracking the top-100 in April 2003 at 16 and becoming one of the world’s leading players two years later.
Rafael Nadal is the second player with 900 consecutive top-100 weeks.
Rafa has been ranked inside the top-10 since April 2005, entering the exclusive group after Barcelona and never leaving. Nadal is moving closer to his 900th consecutive top-10 week, a record that should stay in his hands for the next couple of decades!
Entering the 2003 season from outside the top-200, Rafa grabbed 19 Challenger triumphs in the first three months and reached the third round at the Masters 1000 debut in Monte Carlo! The young Spaniard earned enough points to find himself in the top-100 as by far the youngest player in that group.
Nadal scored two wins in Hamburg and Wimbledon, advanced into the semi-final in Umag, and claimed the title in Segovia Challenger to wrap up the season inside the top-50. At 17 years and six months, Rafa became the fourth-youngest year-end top-50 player since 1973 after Michael Chang, Aaron Krickstein and Bjorn Borg.
An injury halted Nadal’s progress in 2004, but he did enough to keep himself ranked around the top-50 and claim the first ATP title. The Spaniard became world no. 2 a year later following one of the most brilliant seasons for teenagers.
Nadal claimed 11 titles in 2005, including Roland Garros and four Masters 1000 crowns. Nadal has remained at the top ever since, collecting 22 Major titles and 36 Masters 1000 trophies to stand high in the GOAT race. At 36, Rafa is still among the world’s leading players, winning two Majors in 2022 and missing a chance to become world no. 1 after the US Open.
