Shark Bites
Shark Bites: Top 10 Breakthrough
Statistics
by Greg Sharko
|20.04.2011
© Getty ImagesAmerican Mardy Fish makes his debut in the Top 10 of the South African Airways ATP Rankings at 29 years of age.
ATP stats and information guru Greg Sharko looks at the numbers behind the stories of the ATP World Tour.
TOP 10 BREAKTHROUGH -- American Mardy Fish this week became the fourth-oldest player to debut in the Top 10 of the South African Airways ATP Rankings at the age of 29 (or older). In fact, he and Austrian Jurgen Melzer, also 29, are the only two players this year to rank in the Top 10 for the first time. Below is a list of players to debut in the Top 10 late in their careers.
Age |
Ranking/Rank Date+ | |
1. Tony Roche (AUS) |
30 (2 mos., 9 days) |
No. 9 - July 26, 1975 |
2. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) |
29 (8 mos., 9 days) |
No. 10 - Jan. 31, 2011 |
3. Alex Metreveli (RUS) |
29 (7 mos., 1 day) |
No. 9 - June 3, 1974 |
4. Mardy Fish (USA) |
29 (4 mos., 9 days) |
No. 10 - Apr. 18, 2011 |
5. Radek Stepanek (CZE) |
27 (7 mos., 13 days) |
No. 8 - July 10, 2006 |
6. Jiri Novak (CZE) |
27 (6 mos., 22 days) |
No. 9 - Oct. 14, 2002 |
7. Jan Kodes (CZE) |
27 (6 mos., 12 days) |
No. 5 - Sept. 13, 1973 |
8. Guillermo Canas (ARG) |
27 (5 mos., 14 days) |
No. 10 - May 9, 2005 |
9. Tom Gorman (USA) |
27 (4 mos., 12 days) |
No. 10 - May 1, 1974 |
10.Bill Scanlon (USA) |
27 (1 mo., 27 days) |
No. 9 - Jan. 9, 1984 |
+Excludes following players in first ATP Ranking on Aug. 23, 1973
Ken Rosewall (AUS) |
38 (9 mos., 21 days) |
No. 6 |
Rod Laver (AUS) |
35 (14 days) |
No. 5 |
Arthur Ashe (USA) |
30 (1 mos., 13 days) |
No. 4 |
Tom Okker (NED) |
29 (7 mo., 1 day) |
No. 9 |
John Newcombe (AUS) |
29 (3 mos.) |
No. 7 |
Ilie Nastase (ROM) |
27 (1 mo., 4 days) |
No. 1 |
500 MATCH WINS CLUB -- Rafael Nadal is looking to become the 37th player in the Open Era (since 1968) to win at least 500 singles matches in his career. Nadal went into Barcelona with 496 career match wins on the ATP World Tour. At 24 years and 10 mos. of age, he would become the second youngest to reach the 500 match wins club if he reaches the Barcelona final (assuming no walkovers):
Age at 500th Win | |
1. Bjorn Borg |
23 (7 mos.) |
2. Ivan Lendl |
24 (11 mos., 4 days) |
3. John McEnroe |
24 (11 mos., 18 days) |
25 (2 mos., 18 days) | |
25 (2 mos.) | |
6. Pete Sampras |
25 (3 mos., 10 days) |
25 (5 mos., 3 days) | |
8. Boris Becker |
25 (5 mos., 20 days) |
25 (6 mos.) | |
10. Roger Federer |
25 (8 mos., 13 days) |
FIVE-TIME TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS -- Nadal is one of six players to win a tournament title five consecutive years in the Open Era (since 1968). He is the only player to win the same tournament six (or more) consecutive times:
Years Won In A Row |
Tournament |
No. | |
2005-11 |
Monte-Carlo |
7 | |
2005-09 |
Barcelona |
5 | |
2004-08 |
5 | ||
2003-07 |
5 | ||
1997-2001 |
Moscow |
5 | |
1978-82 |
Hilversum |
5 | |
1976-80 |
5 | ||
1973-77 |
Buenos Aires |
5 |
AGE OF TOP 10 DEBUT -- Here is a look at the Top 10 South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings (as of Apr. 18) and the age each player broke into the Top 10:
Top 10 Debut |
Ranking Age | |
1. Rafael Nadal |
April 25, 2005 |
18 (10 mos., 22 days) |
March 19, 2007 |
19 (9 mos., 25 days) | |
May 20, 2002 |
20 (9 mos., 12 days) | |
4. Andy Murray |
April 16, 2007 |
19 (11 mos., 1 day) |
October 19, 2009 |
25 (2 mos., 5 day)s | |
6. David Ferrer |
January 30, 2006 |
23 (9 mos., 28 days) |
October 23, 2006 |
21 (1 month, 6 days) | |
January 31, 2011 |
29 (8 mos., 9 days) | |
9. Gael Monfils |
February 23, 2009 |
22 (5 mos., 22 days) |
10. Mardy Fish |
April 18, 2011 |
29 (4 mos., 9 days) |
(Special assistance by Matt Fitzgerald)
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