The 7 men to record 18+ top-10 wins in a season: ft Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Rafael Nadal
Jannik Sinner’s 2024 season has been among the most successful in recent history.
The Italian has risen to world No 1 in the ATP Rankings and has also won his first two major titles, alongside winning eight ATP titles overall.
And, after being Alex de Minaur on Saturday, Sinner has now recorded 18 top-10 wins this year – one of just seven men to do that since the ATP Rankings were introduced.
Novak Djokovic
2015 – 31; 2013 – 24; 2011 – 21; 2016 – 21; 2014 – 19
No man has ever achieved more top-10 wins in an individual season than Djokovic, who recorded a staggering 31 such wins in his historic 2015 season – where he won three major titles.
The Serbian lost just five matches to top-10 opponents that year and was 82-6 overall, notably going 4-0 against Rafael Nadal, 5-3 against Roger Federer, and 6-1 versus Andy Murray.
However, the Serbian has achieved 18+ wins in another four seasons across his career, recording 24 top-10 wins in 2013, 21 in both 2011 and 2016, and 19 in 2014.
John McEnroe
1984 – 24
1984 was the most successful season of McEnroe’s career, with the tennis icon triumphing at Wimbledon and the US Open, and also reaching the French Open final.
The American compiled a staggering 82-3 record for the year and 24 of those victories came against top-10 opposition, a total only Djokovic has beaten.
Rafael Nadal
2013 – 24
In one of the most successful years of his career, recently-retired Nadal won 75 out of 82 matches in 2013, with notable triumphs at the French Open and US Open.
The Spaniard won 24 matches against top-10 opponents – almost a third of his victories that season – and went 4-0 against Federer, as well as winning three of six matches against Djokovic.
ATP Tour News
‘Facing Jannik Sinner is like trying to solve a puzzle that not many people have succeeded in’
Ivan Lendl
1985 – 22, 1981 -18
One of the most successful players of his generation, Lendl twice hit the 18+ top-10 win milestone during a career that saw him win eight Grand Slam singles titles.
The Czech’s most successful year in this regard was 1985, where dominance at world No 1 began in a season which saw him win 22 matches against top-10 opposition.
He also won 18 matches against such opponents in 1981.
Bjorn Borg
1979 – 20
The ATP’s dominant force in the late 1970s, Borg’s 1979 was highlighted by the second of three straight ‘Channel Slams’ for the Swede, triumphing at Roland Garros and SW19.
Borg finished the year as the world No 1 thanks to those triumphs and an impressive 20 top-10 wins
Roger Federer
2006 – 19, 2004 – 18
Federer twice hit the milestone during the peak of his powers in the mid-2000s.
One of the most successful years of his career, the Swiss won three Grand Slam titles and became world No 1 in 2004, with 18 top-10 wins to his name that season – and a 74-6 record overall.
His greatest total of top-10 victories in a year came in 2006 when he won 19 matches in another season where he swept three of the four Slams.
Jannik Sinner
2024 – 18
Sinner now finds himself among all-time greats of the sport thanks to 18 top-10 wins across his 2024 campaign.
The Italian has only lost five times to top-10 opponents in 2024, with this form being a key factor behind his run to eight titles, two majors, and the world No 1 ranking.
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