Nov 26 2009
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 26: Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates a point during the men’s singles round robin match against Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena on November 26, 2009 in London, England (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Content © 2009 Getty Images All rights reserved.
The ATP World Tour takes a look at the top players of the decade.
1. Roger Federer
Roger Federer, possibly the greatest player ever to grace the game, has dominated men’s tennis since the turn of the millennium, winning a record-breaking 15 Grand Slam titles.
2. Rafael Nadal
In recent years, Rafael Nadal has emerged as the strongest challenger to Federer’s dominance and has established one of the most gripping rivalries in the history of men’s tennis with the Swiss.
3. Lleyton Hewitt
The feisty Australian burst onto the scene in the late ’90s, becoming the youngest winner on the ATP World Tour when he won his home-town title in Adelaide at the age of 16 years, 10 months in January 1998, and was the man to beat as the new millennium rolled in.
4. Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi retired in 2006 but his impact early in the decade guaranteed him a place in our Top 5 list. Agassi won three Australian Opens in 2000, ’01 and ’03 and in May 2003, at 33, he became the oldest player in the history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973) to hold the No. 1 ranking.
5. Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick has faced the full weight of America’s expectation throughout his career, as he looks to emulate the success of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, and the charismatic Texan has unblinkingly embraced the task.
For more, check out ATP World Tour: The Players of the Decade
