Useless Tennis Fact Day 8

Since the Open Era began, 6 Men's Wimbledon champions never reached No 1. in their careers :-
Arthur Ashe (highest ranking - 2)
Goran Ivanisevic (2)
Michael Stich (4)
Richard Krajicek (4)
Pat Cash (4)
Jan Kodes (5)

Surprised to see Goran actually reached 2nd despite being a serial QF punching bag off of grass, proof that the 90's mens tour was lower quality than the womans..

Lowest ranked male grand slam winners in the open era

Rank........Name......................Year.............title
212 .........Mark Edmondson....1976............Australian Open
125 .........Goran Ivanisevic.....2001............Wimbledon
66 ...........Gustavo Kuerten....1997............Roland Garros

What "No. 1" system are you thinking of?

As I have often said, the USO winner's list is by far the most impressive of the 4 slams, and so it proves measured by this little test, or at least a variant of it.

Of the Open Era USO winners I think that I am right that all have either been ATP No. 1 or won at least one other slam with the exception of (i) Orantes, a clay specialist who won the USO on clay in 1975 and (ii) Del Potro in 2009 who's career is far from over.

I introduce the 'multiple slam' winner element because the likes of Ashe, Rosewell, Vilas, Newcombe, Stan Smith, and Laver won other slams away from the USO but were never ATP No. 1 (although they may have been considered to be No. 1 by whatever unofficial system was used between 1968 and 1973).

Of course Rafter nearly appears on that list for two reasons - very close to winning a Wimbledon title in both finals he reached then no.1 in the world for the grand total of 1 week I believe!