Top > Sport > 2006 > September > 2006-09-13

ATP ranking sees shuffle, but not in No. 1

Roger Federer has held to the top spot in the ATP rankings since February 2004. This makes for the third-longest consecutive stay. Only Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl have had longer unbroken streaks at number one. At least Andy Roddick, who lost to Federer in Sunday`s US Open Finals can claim to be No. 1 in the United States. Roddick`s nearly perfect Open moved him from No. 10 to No. 6 in the ATP rankings, ahead of fellow American James Blake, whom Federer defeated in the quarterfinals.

Roddick`s tour success, which resulted in moving up in the high rankings, has followed the eyebrow-raising decision to have Connors coach and mentor the player. Since Connors, five times a US Open champion himself, agreed to take on the task, Roddick has won 18 of his last 19 matches coming into the finals. He has also won the Cincinnati tennis tournament, the first title he has won in 10 months.

Roddick is in position now to qualify for the Tennis Masters Cup. The top eight players qualify for the season-ending Cup in Shanghai, China. There he will have the chance to play against Federer again, Nadal (currently number 2), Ivan Liubicic (3), David Nalbandian (4), Nikolay Davydenko (5), Tommy Robredo (7), or countryman Blake (8).