Rafael Nadal’s 18-year record ends

In the updated world ranking of the Professional Tennis Association (ATP), the 36-year-old Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, who has 22 Grand Slam titles in his career, fell from 9 to 13.

Nadal, who entered the top 10 in the world ranking by winning the Barcelona Open in April 2005 at just 18 years old and has managed to hold it to this day, said goodbye to this record after almost 18 years.

Nadal, who broke the men’s singles record by beating former US world number 1 Jimmy Connors in 2020 (789 weeks), only has a tennis player ahead of him in this field. Czech tennis legend Martina Navratilova continues to hold the record by staying in the top 10 for 1000 weeks in women’s singles.

The fact that the Spanish tennis player, who left the tournament after being injured in the second round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, has not yet been able to return to the courts, is cited as the most important reason for his march. The top 10 Nadal is expected to return to the courts during the clay-court season with the Monte Carlo Masters tournament starting on April 8. (AA)