By Alberto Amalfi | Monday, November 4, 2019

Rafael Nadal is back on top of the world.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion returned to world No. 1 today exactly 12 months to the day since he completed his 196th and most recent week at No. 1 on November 4th, 2018.

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"I said during the whole season it's something special, difficult to describe, but for sure it's a great feeling," Nadal said.

The 33-year-old Spaniard celebrates his eighth stint as world No. 1 succeeding Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, who drops to No. 2.

It's a momentous rise from the man from Mallorca who is the second-oldest No. 1 in ATP history after Roger Federer, who was 36-years-old when he regained the top spot in 2018.  

“I'm super happy with my season,” said Nadal. “It was a tough beginning but then I was able to find a way to be back playing at a very high level of tennis and be in the situation that I am today. I'm very proud about the year that I am having.”

Nadal, whose eight stints at No. 1 equal the mark of Ivan Lendl, trails Americans John McEnroe (14), Pete Sampras (11), Jimmy Connors (9) for most periods at No. 1.

The left-handed Spaniard has now been in the top spot at some stage in nine of the past 12 years (2008-11, 2013-14, 2017-19).



The 12-time Roland Garros champion has split the Grand Slam spoils with Djokovic this season.

The rivals, who practiced together in Paris last week, will duel for the year-end No. 1 ranking at the ATP Finals at London's O2 Arena next week. That's assuming Nadal recovers from his abdominal injury and plays London. 

Two years ago, Nadal played his opening match against David Goffin then withdrew from the season-ending finale.

Nadal is bidding to secure the season-ending top spot for the fifth time in his career (2008, 2010, 2013, 2017) and if he succeeds he will break Djokovic's record as the oldest year-end world No. 1.

The US Open champion withdrew from Paris citing a strained abdominal muscle prior to his scheduled semifinal vs. Denis Shapovalov.

Djokovic swept Shapovalov in the Paris final and is eager to regain the year-end top spot.

The Australian Open champion is bidding for history of his own. If Djokovic regains the year-end No. 1 ranking he will equal Sampras' mark of six seasons holding the year-end top spot. 

Djokovic has won the ATP Finals championship five times, including four times in a row from 2012 to 2015, while Nadal is playing for his first ATP Finals title.

"It is a motivation and a goal every day," Djokovic said of holding the top spot. "It is a goal that I have as a professional tennis player to win as many Grand Slams as possible and also to be No. 1 worldwide for as long as possible.

"But it's not possible for me now to assume anything. It is not a reality. I have to wait and see what happens in London, to see if I can reach that goal. As I said, it wouldn't be correct to presume with regard to Nadal and the others."