ATP Tour

On This Day: Nastase becomes first No. 1 with introduction of computerised rankings

The first World No. 1 in men’s tennis history, Ilie Nastase topped the inaugural edition of the PIF ATP Rankings on 23 August 1973. As the ATP Tour’s ‘It all adds up’ campaign says, players are not No. 1, just No. 1 for now. But Nastase will forever be the first to be first, the man atop the maiden list cranked out of a computer at the ATP’s Texas headquarters.

Titles at the 1972 US Open and the 1973 French Open helped Nastase stake his claim at the summit, alongside his 1972 title at the year-end Masters Grand Prix, now known as the Nitto ATP Finals. Nastase’s No. 1 ranking was also underpinned by notable titles in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Cincinnati.

Then 27, Nastase finished the 1973 season with a career-best 16 titles and World No. 1 honours, capping the year with his third straight Masters Grand Prix crown. He held on to the top spot for 40 weeks.

Known for his temper almost as much as his tennis, Nastase left no doubt about his desire to be No. 1: “The player who wants to conquer the summit cannot afford to be kind,” he once said. “He must want to kill.”

The all-court player was friendly outside the lines of competition, but stopped at nothing to win. While Nastase was never one to shy away from an argument, there was little room for debate when it came to his 1973 dominance in the PIF ATP Rankings.

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