The 7 men with shortest reigns as ATP world No 1: Pat Rafter with one week, John Newcombe joint-sixth
Time at the top can be elusive for some.
While the likes of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal have achieved lengthy spells as world No 1, for some their reigns as the top-ranked players were short but sweet.
Here, we look at the seven ATP greats who have the shortest spells as the world No 1 ranked player.
=6) John Newcombe – Eight weeks
Newcombe is a true tennis great, with seven Grand Slam singles titles to his name.
However, the bulk of the Australian’s success came before the ATP Rankings were introduced in 1973, meaning his overall time as world No 1 was a little diminished.
Newcombe became just the second No 1 in the history of the ATP in June 1974 and held the top spot for eight consecutive weeks.
He was dislodged from the top spot by fellow legend Jimmy Connors in July of that year, ending his time at the top.
=6) Juan Carlos Ferrero – Eight weeks
Nowadays, Ferrero is most recognised as Carlos Alcaraz’s coach, though he was a hugely accomplished player during his own career.
The winner of 16 ATP singles titles, the Spaniard won the French Open title in 2003, and then proceeded to reach the US Open final just a few months later.
That run helped Ferrero rise to world No 1 in September 2003 and, much like Newcombe, he reigned for eight weeks that Autumn.
However, Andy Roddick – who beat him in the US Open final – usurped him that November, and he was unable to battle his way back to No 1.
=3) Thomas Muster – Six Weeks
Muster is perhaps not given the credit he deserves for what he achieved in his career, with the Austrian winning 44 titles – including the 1995 French Open.
He rose to world No 1 for the first time in February 1996 though was at the very top for just one week, with previous No 1 Pete Sampras swiftly regaining the top spot.
But Muster was able to earn the No 1 ranking back in March and earned five more weeks at the top before Sampras dislodged him again in April 1996.
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=3) Marcelo Rios – Six weeks
Twenty-six years on, Rios remains the only man to ever reach world No 1 and not win a Grand Slam singles title.
The Chilean reached his sole Grand Slam singles final at the Australian Open in 1998 and rose to world No 1 at the end of March, reigning for four weeks before Sampras regained his position at the top.
Rios would then return to the top for two weeks in August 1998 but was again replaced by Sampras, and never reached the top again.
He won 18 career titles in total.
= 3) Yevgney Kafelnikov – Six weeks
Kafelnikov found huge success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning two Grand Slam singles titles and winning Olympic gold at the 2000 Games in Sydney.
It was not long after his victory at the Australian Open in 1999 that the Russian rose to world No 1, replacing Sampras as the world No 1 in May of that year.
However, a shock early exit at the French Open for Kafelnikov – the top seed – meant that he lost the No 1 ranking after that event, ending his time at the top after a six-week reign.
2) Carlos Moya – Two weeks
Spanish star Moya holds the second-shortest spell as No 1 in ATP history, with a reign of two weeks back in 1999.
Moya, now coach of Rafael Nadal, won his sole Grand Slam singles title at the French Open in 1998 and ten months later ascended to the top of the rankings in March 1999.
However, his reign was ended at the end of that month by – you guessed it – Sampras, who regained the top ranking for his eight separate spells as No 1.
1) Pat Rafter – One week
Australian star Rafter holds a unique place in tennis history as the only player to date – male or female – to reign as the world No 1 for just one week.
Rafter remains one of the most successful Australian players in modern history and is best recognised for his US Open triumphs in 1997 and 1998.
It was in the build-up to his title defence in 1999 that the Australian, who had won in New York, Canada, and Cincinnati the previous summer, rose to the top spot.
Rafter became world No 1 on July 26, 1999, but was replaced at the top at the start of August by Sampras, bringing to an end his time as the best player in the world.
