| 1 | Kuerten, Gustavo (BRA) | 4,075 | 0 | 21 |
| 2 | Safin, Marat (RUS) | 3,805 | 0 | 26 |
| 3 | Agassi, Andre (USA) | 3,795 | 0 | 19 |
| 4 | Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) | 2,960 | 0 | 23 |
| 5 | Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) | 2,905 | 0 | 24 |
| 6 | Kafelnikov, Yevgeny (RUS) | 2,645 | 0 | 31 |
| 7 | Grosjean, Sebastien (FRA) | 2,350 | 0 | 25 |
| 8 | Henman, Tim (GBR) | 2,295 | 0 | 25 |
| 9 | Corretja, Alex (ESP) | 2,275 | 0 | 26 |
| 10 | Rafter, Patrick (AUS) | 2,120 | 0 | 21 |
Notable Points:
Gustavo Kuerten was in the middle of 43 weeks at World Number 1. He won 3 Grand Slams, 6 Masters Events and the 2000 end of year Championships. Yet at least one person who I know who is a massive tennis fan had never heard of him. Perhaps the most underrated player of the last 15 years?
Safin, Hewitt and Ferrero were working their way up the rankings, and all would eventually make their way to number 1.
World Rankings 7 July 2002
| 1 | Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) | 5,110 | 0 | 20 |
| 2 | Safin, Marat (RUS) | 3,095 | 0 | 24 |
| 3 | Haas, Tommy (GER) | 2,990 | 0 | 24 |
| 4 | Henman, Tim (GBR) | 2,605 | 0 | 20 |
| 5 | Kafelnikov, Yevgeny (RUS) | 2,575 | 0 | 28 |
| 6 | Agassi, Andre (USA) | 2,310 | 0 | 20 |
| 7 | Costa, Albert (ESP) | 2,290 | 0 | 23 |
| 8 | Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) | 2,165 | 0 | 25 |
| 9 | Johansson, Thomas (SWE) | 1,960 | 0 | 24 |
| 10 | Grosjean, Sebastien (FRA) | 1,945 | 0 | 24 |
Notable Points:
Former World Number 1 Kuerten had fallen out of the top 10 altogether.
Hewitt and Safin were now ranked 1 and 2. Hewitt had just won Wimbledon and was expected to dominate tennis for the next few years. He would never again win a Slam again.
Haas at 3 and Henman at 4 really make the top 10 look quite weak. The presence of Costa and Johansson does little to suggest this was a strong era of tennis.
World Rankings 12 July 2003
| 1 | Agassi, Andre (USA) | 4,090 | 0 | 20 |
| 2 | Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) | 3,875 | 0 | 23 |
| 3 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 3,575 | 0 | 26 |
| 4 | Moya, Carlos (ESP) | 3,095 | 0 | 24 |
| 5 | Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) | 2,945 | 0 | 19 |
| 6 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 2,765 | 0 | 22 |
| 7 | Coria, Guillermo (ARG) | 2,250 | 0 | 23 |
| 8 | Schuettler, Rainer (GER) | 2,000 | 0 | 30 |
| 9 | Novak, Jiri (CZE) | 1,980 | 1 | 27 |
| 10 | Grosjean, Sebastien (FRA) | 1,950 | -1 | 21 |
Notable Points:
8 years on, Federer would still be at world number 3. However, in between times...
Andre Agassi was world number 1 despite being aged 33. He had won the Australian Open and the Miami Masters. Whether this suggests this was a particularly weak era, or an incredibly impressive effort by Agassi is up for debate. Possibly a bit of both.
Jiri Novak is an incredibly unmemorable player, his career highlight being a semi final in the 2002 Australian Open.
Tim Henman was down at 37 in the world and his career thought to be on the way down. The next year would arguably be the best of his career.
12 July 2004
| 1 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 5,665 | 0 | 20 |
| 2 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 4,945 | 0 | 23 |
| 3 | Coria, Guillermo (ARG) | 3,770 | 0 | 24 |
| 4 | Moya, Carlos (ESP) | 2,610 | 0 | 25 |
| 5 | Henman, Tim (GBR) | 2,505 | 0 | 20 |
| 6 | Nalbandian, David (ARG) | 2,475 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) | 2,435 | 0 | 21 |
| 8 | Schuettler, Rainer (GER) | 2,190 | 0 | 29 |
| 9 | Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) | 1,990 | 0 | 17 |
| 10 | Agassi, Andre (USA) | 1,905 | 0 | 18 |
Notable Points:
Another large fall from Number 1 over a year. Its odd in these days of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic dominance to think of somebody falling from number 1 to 10 over 12 months.
Guilermo Coria was the 'King of Clay' and only an epic choke in the French Open Final prevented him winning that. It was all downhill from here.
Tim Henman should have won the French Open this year. In fact it was the only time he lost a Grand Slam semi final to the eventual runner up. It was also, in my opinion, his only choke.
Agassi was a top 10 player at 34. An impressive feat.
12 July 2005
| 1 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 6,980 | 0 | 20 |
| 2 | Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) | 3,840 | 0 | 20 |
| 3 | Nadal, Rafael (ESP) | 3,750 | 0 | 26 |
| 4 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 3,590 | 0 | 21 |
| 5 | Safin, Marat (RUS) | 3,265 | 0 | 23 |
| 6 | Agassi, Andre (USA) | 2,275 | 0 | 19 |
| 7 | Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) | 2,115 | 0 | 31 |
| 8 | Canas, Guillermo (ARG) | 2,070 | 0 | 20 |
| 9 | Johansson, Thomas (SWE) | 1,688 | 0 | 26 |
| 10 | Nalbandian, David (ARG) | 1,635 | 0 | 21 |
Notable Points:
Federer and Nadal would not be outside the top 4 for the next 6 years (and counting). Roddick would also be in the top 10 6 years on. Only 1 player (Agassi) featured in both 2005 and 1999.
Andre Agassi was in the top at aged 35! He would go on to reach the final of the US Open. What chances Federer having similar longevity?
Thomas Johansson was back in the top 10 for the first time since he won the Australian Open in 2002. He is comfortably the least impressive slam winner of the 2000s and a perfect lesson in being born at the correct time to maximise a career.
Andy Murray was at 205 (two places behind fellow Brit Mark Hilton). Novak Djokovic was at 96.
10 July 2006
| 1 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 7,260 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Nadal, Rafael (ESP) | 5,125 | 0 | 19 |
| 3 | Nalbandian, David (ARG) | 3,185 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Ljubicic, Ivan (CRO) | 3,125 | 0 | 21 |
| 5 | Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) | 2,165 | 0 | 31 |
| 6 | Blake, James (USA) | 2,155 | 0 | 24 |
| 7 | Ancic, Mario (CRO) | 1,985 | 0 | 24 |
| 8 | Stepanek, Radek (CZE) | 1,925 | 0 | 25 |
| 9 | Robredo, Tommy (ESP) | 1,915 | 0 | 26 |
| 10 | Baghdatis, Marcos (CYP) | 1,857 | 0 | 24 |
Notable Points
Easily the weakest top 10 of the decade. Only two players here won Slams, only 4 reached finals. Robredo, Blake and Stepanek never even made the semi finals of a slam.
Federer and Nadal won all the Slams this year, and 6 of the 9 Masters Events.
This was a rare occasion where Andy Roddick was out of the top 10. A particularly poor Wimbledon, where he lost early to Andy Murray, was the cause. However, between October 2002 and August 2010, this was one of only 4 weeks where he was not in the top 10.
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were at 35 and 36 respectively.
9 July 2007
Djokovic was established as the third best player in the world. Andy Murray had broken into the top 10 in May, but a wrist injury caused him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.
21 year old Richard Gasquet and 22 year old Thomas Berdych might have been expected to push on a bit further from this stage, but neither is ranked all that much higher four years on. Gasquet in particular was very highly rated and had just come off a Wimbledon semi final. A two set collapse to Murray a year later, and an odd cocaine incident saw his career derailed slightly.
Federer was still fairly comfortable at number 1, having defeated Nadal at Wimbledon. He would go on to beat Djokovic at the US Open.
14 July 2008
Federer was still number 1, but defeat at Wimbledon and a hammering at the French Open meant Nadal was the top player in all but ranking. A month later he would become the first player since February 2004 to dethrone Federer.
Andy Murray wasn't really giving any indication he was about to win two of the next three Masters Events and get to the US Open final, reaching 4 in the world and remaining there or thereabouts forever more.
James Blake was top 10 for the third consecutive year. Probably not expected as he never seemed to do all that much.
Juan Martin Del Potro was only 44 in the world but about to make a major impact with four consecutive tennis wins.
13 July 2009
Andy Murray was two games away from being World Number 1 at Wimbledon. He would soon make 2 but never get so close again.
Roger Federer is back at number 1, but only as a result of Nadals knee injury that caused him to miss Wimbledon.
The big 4 are firmly established, with Del Potro posed to stun Federer at the US Open and make it a big 5 for a short while.
Tsonga, Simon and Verdasco are all well placed to push on to an extra level but never quite managed it.
12 July 2010
Compared to 2009, where there was almost nothing between the top 3, Nadal has established a comfortable lead over the rest. He would go on to win the US Open to hold three of the four slams.
Robin Soderling lurks dangerously close to reaching number 4, which he will eventually do temporarily for a few weeks. Few actually felt he was properly part of the top 4, however.
Juan Martin Del Potro is 7th despite not playing for 6 months.
Novak Djokovic has finally pushed Federer as far down as third, and will go on to beat him at the US Open to cement that.
11 July 2011
Novak Djokovic has finally reached the world number 1 ranking his performances all year have deserved.
A two month slump means Murray is well off the pace in 4th, but the top 4 as a whole have dominated proceedings this year.
The rest of the top 10 looks quite weak again. Mardy Fish and Gael Monfils are not the sort of players to really challenge the top 4.
Andy Roddick is possibly in the top 10 for the last time.
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were at 35 and 36 respectively.
9 July 2007
| 1 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 7,290 | 0 | 17 |
| 2 | Nadal, Rafael (ESP) | 5,225 | 0 | 19 |
| 3 | Djokovic, Novak (SRB) | 3,310 | 0 | 22 |
| 4 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 3,230 | 0 | 21 |
| 5 | Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) | 3,185 | 0 | 28 |
| 6 | Gonzalez, Fernando (CHI) | 2,780 | 0 | 19 |
| 7 | Gasquet, Richard (FRA) | 2,220 | 0 | 23 |
| 8 | Robredo, Tommy (ESP) | 2,200 | 0 | 25 |
| 9 | Blake, James (USA) | 2,075 | 0 | 25 |
| 10 | Berdych, Tomas (CZE) | 2,045 | 0 | 21 |
Djokovic was established as the third best player in the world. Andy Murray had broken into the top 10 in May, but a wrist injury caused him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.
21 year old Richard Gasquet and 22 year old Thomas Berdych might have been expected to push on a bit further from this stage, but neither is ranked all that much higher four years on. Gasquet in particular was very highly rated and had just come off a Wimbledon semi final. A two set collapse to Murray a year later, and an odd cocaine incident saw his career derailed slightly.
Federer was still fairly comfortable at number 1, having defeated Nadal at Wimbledon. He would go on to beat Djokovic at the US Open.
14 July 2008
| 1 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 6,600 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Nadal, Rafael (ESP) | 6,055 | 0 | 20 |
| 3 | Djokovic, Novak (SRB) | 4,945 | 0 | 19 |
| 4 | Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) | 2,970 | 1 | 27 |
| 5 | Ferrer, David (ESP) | 2,945 | -1 | 26 |
| 6 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 2,065 | 0 | 21 |
| 7 | Nalbandian, David (ARG) | 2,030 | 0 | 20 |
| 8 | Blake, James (USA) | 1,975 | 0 | 24 |
| 9 | Murray, Andy (GBR) | 1,805 | 0 | 22 |
| 10 | Wawrinka, Stanislas (SUI) | 1,785 | 0 | 25 |
Federer was still number 1, but defeat at Wimbledon and a hammering at the French Open meant Nadal was the top player in all but ranking. A month later he would become the first player since February 2004 to dethrone Federer.
Andy Murray wasn't really giving any indication he was about to win two of the next three Masters Events and get to the US Open final, reaching 4 in the world and remaining there or thereabouts forever more.
James Blake was top 10 for the third consecutive year. Probably not expected as he never seemed to do all that much.
Juan Martin Del Potro was only 44 in the world but about to make a major impact with four consecutive tennis wins.
13 July 2009
| 1 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 11,220 | 0 | 17 |
| 2 | Nadal, Rafael (ESP) | 10,735 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Murray, Andy (GBR) | 9,450 | 0 | 21 |
| 4 | Djokovic, Novak (SRB) | 8,150 | 0 | 23 |
| 5 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 5,440 | 1 | 23 |
| 6 | Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG) | 5,425 | -1 | 23 |
| 7 | Simon, Gilles (FRA) | 4,000 | 0 | 28 |
| 8 | Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) | 3,600 | 0 | 24 |
| 9 | Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) | 3,500 | 0 | 24 |
| 10 | Gonzalez, Fernando (CHI) | 3,185 | 0 | 18 |
Andy Murray was two games away from being World Number 1 at Wimbledon. He would soon make 2 but never get so close again.
Roger Federer is back at number 1, but only as a result of Nadals knee injury that caused him to miss Wimbledon.
The big 4 are firmly established, with Del Potro posed to stun Federer at the US Open and make it a big 5 for a short while.
Tsonga, Simon and Verdasco are all well placed to push on to an extra level but never quite managed it.
12 July 2010
| 1 | Nadal, Rafael (ESP) | 10,745 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Djokovic, Novak (SRB) | 6,905 | 0 | 21 |
| 3 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 6,885 | 0 | 20 |
| 4 | Murray, Andy (GBR) | 5,155 | 0 | 17 |
| 5 | Soderling, Robin (SWE) | 4,935 | 0 | 25 |
| 6 | Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) | 4,740 | 0 | 26 |
| 7 | Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG) | 4,270 | 0 | 16 |
| 8 | Berdych, Tomas (CZE) | 3,780 | 0 | 25 |
| 9 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 3,490 | 0 | 20 |
| 10 | Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) | 3,475 | 0 | 25 |
Compared to 2009, where there was almost nothing between the top 3, Nadal has established a comfortable lead over the rest. He would go on to win the US Open to hold three of the four slams.
Robin Soderling lurks dangerously close to reaching number 4, which he will eventually do temporarily for a few weeks. Few actually felt he was properly part of the top 4, however.
Juan Martin Del Potro is 7th despite not playing for 6 months.
Novak Djokovic has finally pushed Federer as far down as third, and will go on to beat him at the US Open to cement that.
11 July 2011
| 1 | Djokovic, Novak (SRB) | 13,155 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Nadal, Rafael (ESP) | 11,270 | 0 | 22 |
| 3 | Federer, Roger (SUI) | 9,230 | 0 | 21 |
| 4 | Murray, Andy (GBR) | 6,855 | 0 | 20 |
| 5 | Soderling, Robin (SWE) | 4,325 | 0 | 25 |
| 6 | Ferrer, David (ESP) | 4,150 | 0 | 24 |
| 7 | Monfils, Gael (FRA) | 2,755 | 0 | 21 |
| 8 | Berdych, Tomas (CZE) | 2,470 | 1 | 26 |
| 9 | Fish, Mardy (USA) | 2,435 | -1 | 20 |
| 10 | Roddick, Andy (USA) | 2,110 | 0 | 21 |
Novak Djokovic has finally reached the world number 1 ranking his performances all year have deserved.
A two month slump means Murray is well off the pace in 4th, but the top 4 as a whole have dominated proceedings this year.
The rest of the top 10 looks quite weak again. Mardy Fish and Gael Monfils are not the sort of players to really challenge the top 4.
Andy Roddick is possibly in the top 10 for the last time.
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