ATP Top Ten Achievements Of 2012

1. Federer Tops Sampras' Reign, Reaches 300 Weeks At No. 1

2. Nadal’s Eighth Straight Monte-Carlo Title

3. Djokovic & Nadal Contest Four Straight Major Finals

4. Back-To-Back No. 1 Finishes For Djokovic

5. Nadal Breaks Borg’s Roland Garros Titles Record

6. Blackjack! Roger & Rafa Win 21st Masters 1000 Titles

7. Federer Ties Wimbledon Titles Record

8. A Scotman’s Sizzling Summer

9. Roddick Joins Elite Company

10. Ferrer Leads The Pack In Titles & Match Wins

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/12/Features/Top-Achievements-Of-2012.aspx

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/12/Features/Top-Achievements-Of-2012-3-To-5.aspx

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/12/Features/Top-Achievements-Of-2012-6-To-10.aspx

It's always easy to disagree with lists of this sort but I think this is just about right.

Hmm can't disagree with the achievements listed, but not convinced about the order. While Nadal winning 8 straight at MC is impressive, I'm not sure I'd have it ahead of his record win at RG, or indeed Roger's record-equalling win at Wimbers. Equally I find it a bit odd that Fed winning a Masters series ranks above him winning Wimbers. So if I'm allowed to re-order them I'd go with

1 (quite a phenomenal achievement, not sure it'll ever be broken)
5 (cementing Rafa's status as unarguably the greatest clay courter of all time)
7 (special moment)
8 (the Olympics-Us Open double was a fantastic achievement, more so given the weight of expectation)
4 (confirming 2011 was no fluke)
2 (the king of clay, yet again)
3 (quite impressive that two players could do so, despite the presence of the GOAT)
6 (it's nice but not at the same level as these two other's achievements IMO)
10
9

uhm interesting list....I like the credit given for the record at n.1. I think achievement n.2 , 3 and 4 are overrated to say the least. I would put achievement n. 5 and 7 at n. 2 and 3 respectively , and probably n. 8 at n.4. Czech winning DC should be there imo.

The Czech DC triumph was, without question, huge but this is all about achievements on the ATP World Tour (at least it's meant to be .... I guess strictly speaking Olympics isn't part of the Tour either..)

In that case I believe the Slams shouldn't be included as well. Strictly speaking they are outside the ATP organization.

From the link

The list includes achievements based solely on performances this year, while others, including our Top 2 below, reflect a body of work over several seasons that culminated in a significant milestone being reached.

I agree with whoever compiled the list that Federer breaking the number one record set by Sampras AND Nadal winning an eighth Monte Carlo deserve recognition because they have both passed significant milestones in order to achieve them.

Both Federer and Nadal won a slam for the seventh time but I can understand why Nadals RG is ranked higher because he is the only player to have won RG 7 times (Federer shares the distinction with Sampras). Federer really needs to win it again next year... I can also understand why Nadals eighth consecutive Monte Carlo is ranked higher than his seventh RG too. With this he's now breaking records that were set when the defending champions got a bye to the final. This is seriously impressive stuff.

Personally I like that Federer and Nadals joint record of Masters wins is recognised too. Federer is doing well to keep up.

I didn't know that Nadal and Djokovic were the first two players to feature in four consecutive slam finals but that is certainly a big achievement for both.

I also think Roddick with his 600 tour wins was worth a mention.

The others on the list are all fantastic achievements and worth recognition but are not groundbreaking in the way that the ones I have mentioned are.

hawkeye wrote:
Both Federer and Nadal won a slam for the seventh time but I can understand why Nadals RG is ranked higher because he is the only player to have won RG 7 times (Federer shares the distinction with Sampras). Federer really needs to win it again next year... I can also understand why Nadals eighth consecutive Monte Carlo is ranked higher than his seventh RG too. With this he's now breaking records that were set when the defending champions got a bye to the final. This is seriously impressive stuff.

Weird, I follow tennis since the 80's but I don't remember occasions where the winner was given a bye to the final, at MC. Was it in this century btw? Imo is a much lesser achievement winning Masters now since: a) players are handled a bye in the 1st round, b) matches are no longer BO5.

Agree re: Bo3 vs Bo5.
Had Djokovic won that RG it would be hands down the calendar slam...it still evades all the great players. But who would have thought every slam would have gone to a different player this year?

There have also been some meteoric rises up the rankings too...Janowicz, Baker, Goffin, etc.

And well done to Ferrer...always sniffing out the smaller events.

Stand out for me was Nadal achieving some huge clay results... 7 x Barcelona 500 (he didnt enter 2010), 8 x MC 1000, 7 x RG and now 6 Rome titles. Insane numbers really.

Hats off to Federer on his 7th Grass slam...can he go to 8? Not in my belief but then I didnt think he'd do 7. 2012 must be a hige bonus for Federer, getting the 300 weeks kind of capped off his career perchance?

Yep the Slams went to four different players, which made for some healthy variety (although none were exactly unknown names ..... )

The 300 + weeks was amazing and could well prove to be something of a swansong in terms of his top level achievements

All records are there to be broken but it's likely to be many, many years before that one goes, IMO.

I can't really see another Slam for Fed, whether Wimbledon or any other ; and nor do I see more than another two years at most on the tour.

As for the 'meteoric rises' : good to see, sure ; but now the acid test is just how quickly, and how far, they can climb the higher rungs of the ladder ........ We really do need some new faces at the top end - PLEASE !!

I saw the list other day and was baffled by the order, they say Wimby is the most presitigious of all Tennis tournament and winning 7 times a record in any era is hanging on 7th .

My order

1]Fed breaking Sampras record for no.1 in total amount of weeks.
2]Fed and Nadal winning a GS 7 times in a row [ I see both a great feet, while Wimby more prestigious , nobody in open era won FO 7 times so both are equal]

4]Djokovic winning back 2 back no.1, no mean feat to achieve.

5]Czech winning Davis cup [ if Davis cup can't be included in ATP list then why GS are included? both get ATP points, both played by ATP players and both ran by different committee outside ATP]

6]Nadal - Djoko reachin 4 slams in a row

7]Murray winning Olympic and USO to cap of a great season

8]Ferrer for the impressive number of titles

9]Roddick joining elite club

10]Del Potro's impressive comeback , in my view his comeback was more special than Fed-Rafa's 21 masters title record, the number keeps changing every year, so no idea why its so special.

Come on. Let's be xenophobically biased about this.
1. Murray winning the US Open
2. Murray winning Olympic Gold
3. er
4. that's it

More seriously, Fed's Wimbledon 7th heaven, Rafa's 7th French, Fed's 300 weeks at number one, Djoko's amazing consistency are all up there too.
The fact that it's difficult to quite put one's finger on the ultimate triumph of 2012 shows what a competitive and even year it was. (Amazing, by the way, that it's only a few days before they're all at it again)