Picture Credit : UbiTennis.net
The ATP World Tour has published the 2018 year-end ATP Rankings on ATPWorldTour.com after an exciting season of milestones and breakthroughs. The trio of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer finished in the Top 3 ATP Rankings for the seventh time (2007-11, 2014, 2018), the first since 2014. All three players ranked No. 1 at one stage during the year and it was the first time all three ranked No. 1 during the same season.
There were five changes in the year-end Top 10 from the previous season for the second year in a row, including first-timers No. 6 Kevin Anderson and No. 10 John Isner, both former U.S. collegiate standouts.
The last time at least two former college players finished in the Top 10 was in 1989 when John McEnroe, Brad Gilbert and Jay Berger accomplished the feat. Other players returning to the Top 10 were World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who was No. 12 at the end of 2017, No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro, who equalled his yearend best from 2013, the last time he was in the Top 10, and No. 9 Kei Nishikori, who jumped from No. 22 last year.
For the first time in ATP Rankings history (since 1973), players from five different regions of the world were represented in the Top 10. Six players from Europe and one each from Africa, Asia, North and South
America comprised the Top 10. It was also the second time in three years there were 10 different countries
represented in the year-end Top 10.
The Top 10 of 2018
1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) – No. 1 for fifth time (2011-12, 2014-15, ’18) and oldest (31) year-end No. 1,
continuing 15 years of ‘Big 4’ dominance at the top of ATP Rankings (2004-18)
2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) – Finishes in Top 10 for 14th straight year, second-best (w/Federer) all-time behind
Jimmy Connors (16). Also 10th time in year-end Top 2, second only behind Federer (11)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) – Oldest (37) to finish No. 3 and record 14th time in year-end Top 3 (five times at
No. 1, six times at No. 2, three times at No. 3)
4. Alexander Zverev (GER) – Youngest (21) to finish in Top 4 back-to-back seasons since Djokovic in
2007-08 and first German to finish in Top 4 since Boris Becker in 1994-95
5. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) – Finishes in Top 10 for first time since 2013 and equals his career yearend
best of 2009 and 2013
6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) – Finishes as highest-ranked African in history of ATP Rankings and first South
African to finish in Top 10 since No. 10 Wayne Ferreira in 1996
7. Marin Cilic (CRO) – Fourth Top 10 finish in five years and reached a career-high No. 3 on Jan. 29
8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) – Third straight year in Top 10 and joins countryman Thomas Muster as only
Austrian to finish in Top 10 at least three years
9. Kei Nishikori (JPN) – Finishes in Top 10 for first time since 2015 and third time overall (2014-15)
10. John Isner (USA) – Oldest American (33) first-time finisher in Top 10 and No. 1 American for sixth
time in seven years
