For one unforgettable week in 1999, Patrick Rafter stood atop the tennis world and earned two rare distinctions in the history of the PIF ATP Rankings.
Of the 29 players in the ATP No. 1 Club, the Australian is both the only man to spend just a single week in the top spot and the only one to never play a match while holding the position.
“[I] never lost a match as No. 1 in the world. Probably one of the greatest No. 1s there was actually,” Rafter joked with a smile, reflecting on his unique place in tennis history.
“I’m just hoping there’s someone else who becomes No. 1 who just does another week and joins me as No. 1s who have only spent one week there. I’m very unique.”
Rafter ascended to World No. 1 at the age of 26 in July 1999, dethroning Andre Agassi. One week later, Pete Sampras stormed to a title in Los Angeles, reclaiming the ranking before Rafter even had a chance to step on court as the world’s top player.
“John Newcombe, a former World No. 1 himself, gave me the trophy and said, ‘Welcome to the No. 1 club’. I went back to Bermuda for a week off and then by the time I came back, I was already No. 2,” Rafter said.
It was fitting that Agassi and Sampras were bookended on Rafter’s short stint atop the PIF ATP Rankings. Both Americans were among Rafter’s fiercest rivals. An 11-time tour-level titlist, Rafter’s bold serve-and-volley approach and net-rushing tactics were a striking contrast to Agassi’s baseline dominance.
“I’d chip and charge, come to net and he would pass me and lob me and do whatever he needed to do to beat me, which he did pretty often.” Rafter said of Agassi, who won their Lexus ATP Head2Head 10-5. “I got him a few times and we got to play each other in Grand Slams and big occasions, which was unreal.”
On the other hand, Rafter and Sampras had a classic late-1990s serve-and-volley rivalry. The American Sampras won 12 of the 16 matches they contested, including the 2000 Wimbledon final.
“It was just the same style of player. He was better, a lot better than what I was. Pete was just too good,” Rafter said.
Reflecting on his own playing style, Rafter, who won the US Open title in 1997 and 1998, credits his Australian roots for shaping his mentality.
“The Australian way of playing was a little bit ugly. We sort of bluffed our way through matches, but we competed. I think I just carried on that type of tradition,” Rafter said. “You fight hard and when you get excited, you get excited.”
Rafter’s final ATP Tour match came at the 2001 Nitto ATP Finals in Sydney, where he lost to fellow Aussie Lleyton Hewitt in round-robin action. Hewitt went on to win the event and climb to No. 1 for the first time.
“I remember he came to Davis Cup at 15. He was this baby that came along on Tour. When playing points with him, he’s chopping me. I’m going, ‘What? This is not right! He’s a little kid! He can hardly serve’. But my God, he just knew how to play the game,” Rafter said. “He kept pushing you to be better. When he was on Tour, I didn’t want to see him anywhere near my draw.”
Learn more about the ATP No. 1 Club
© Copyright 1994 - 2024 ATP Tour, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or by any means (including photocopying, recording or storing it in any medium by electronic means), without the written permission of ATP Tour, Inc.. Terms & Conditions | Privacy | Community Social Media Policy | Modern Slavery Statement | Feedback | Cookies | Your Privacy Choices 
