Who is No. 2 in Tennis?
Tennis is one of the world’s most popular sports, and its biggest stars are some of the most famous athletes in the world. While most people know that Rafael Nadal is currently the world’s number one male tennis player, the identity of the number two ranked player is less well known.
This article will explore who is currently the world’s number two tennis player, as well as looking at the history of the sport and the greatest tennis players in history.
Tennis History
Tennis dates back centuries, with the game believed to have originated in France in the 12th century. The modern version of the game emerged in the 19th century, and it quickly gained popularity across the world.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) was formed in 1913, and it is the governing body of the sport. The ITF organizes the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. These are the four most prestigious tournaments in tennis, and winning all four in a single year is called the Grand Slam.
The Greatest of All Time
Tennis has produced some of the greatest athletes of all time. The consensus ‘greatest of all time’ is Roger Federer, who has won 20 Grand Slam titles in an incredible career. Other legendary players include Australian Rod Laver, who won 11 Grand Slams in the 1960s, and American Pete Sampras, who won 14 Grand Slams in the 1990s.
The Big Three
Since the turn of the millennium, three players have dominated the world of men’s tennis. The ‘Big Three’ are Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Between them, they have won 57 Grand Slam titles, and have been the undisputed top three players for the past decade.
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is the current world number one in men’s tennis. The Spaniard has won an incredible 19 Grand Slam titles, and is still going strong at the age of 33. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and is the only man ever to win all four Grand Slam tournaments at least twice.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is currently the world’s number two ranked tennis player. The Serbian has won 16 Grand Slam titles, and is the only man in history to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and is the current holder of the ATP World Tour Finals trophy.
Ranking System
The ATP World Tour rankings system is used to determine the world’s top tennis players. The rankings are based on a player’s performance in tournaments over a rolling 12-month period, and are updated every Monday.
Ranking Points
Players earn ranking points for each tournament they play in. The number of points a player earns depends on their performance in the tournament, with more points awarded for winning a tournament than for reaching the semi-finals or quarter-finals. The more points a player earns, the higher they will be ranked.
Current Rankings
As of January 2020, the world’s top 10 male tennis players are:
- Rafael Nadal (Spain)
- Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
- Roger Federer (Switzerland)
- Dominic Thiem (Austria)
- Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
- Alexander Zverev (Germany)
- Gael Monfils (France)
- David Goffin (Belgium)
- Fabio Fognini (Italy)
No. 2 in Tennis
As of January 2020, Novak Djokovic is the world’s number two ranked tennis player. The 31-year-old Serbian has won 16 Grand Slam titles and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He is the current holder of the ATP World Tour Finals trophy, and is the only man in history to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.
Conclusion
Tennis is one of the world’s most popular sports, and its biggest stars are some of the most famous athletes in the world. While Rafael Nadal is currently the world’s number one male tennis player, Novak Djokovic is the world’s number two ranked tennis player. The Serbian has won 16 Grand Slam titles and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
References
- International Tennis Federation: https://www.itftennis.com/about/
- ATP World Tour: https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles
- BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/47747890