Rafael Nadal records that may never be broken, No. 4: 912 straight weeks in the Top 10

Over the last few years several all-time greats have called time on their professional tennis careers, and we’ve given them a statistical send-off, counting down some of their most incredible records that may never be broken. We did it for Serena Williams, Roger Federer and most recently Andy Murray.

And now, it’s Rafael Nadal’s turn.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 is playing the final event of his career next week, the Davis Cup Finals, and in the five days leading up to it we’re bringing you five of his records—one a day—that may never be broken.

Yesterday, we began with his 23 career wins over world No. 1s.

Today, a record stay in the ultimate elite.

912 straight weeks in the Top 10

Most players who break into the Top 10 will dip in and out of it over the course of their careers, but when Nadal broke into the elite for the first time as an 18-year-old on April 25th, 2005, he was in it for the long haul—he was in there week in, week out for almost 18 years, finally dropping out on March 20th, 2023.

That’s 912 consecutive weeks, which is by far the longest Top 10 streak in ATP rankings history, since 1973.

That total doesn’t even include the 22 weeks the ATP rankings were frozen in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LONGEST TOP 10 STREAKS IN ATP RANKINGS HISTORY:
912 weeks: Rafael Nadal [2005-2023]
789 weeks: Jimmy Connors [1973-1988]
742 weeks: Roger Federer [2002-2016]
619 weeks: Ivan Lendl [1980-1992]
565 weeks: Pete Sampras [1990-2001]

Nadal spent 209 of those 912 career Top 10 weeks at No. 1.

Only one woman, Martina Navratilova, has spent more consecutive weeks in the WTA Top 10 than Nadal has in the ATP Top 10. She spent exactly 1,000 straight weeks in that elite.

The countdown of five of Rafa’s greatest career records continues tomorrow with No. 3, and a golden achievement…