Top five men's singles players with most wins over tennis World No. 1

Rafael Nadal holds the record for most wins over the tennis World No. 1.

In the history of tennis, what separates good players from the best is their ability to defeat those ranked higher than them. While consistently winning against lower-ranked players is not an easy task, the true litmus test occurs when they face off against the best of their generation.

In this article, we spotlight those elite tennis stars who didn’t just rack up routine wins but consistently conquered the sport’s biggest names when it mattered most.

5. Andy Murray – 12

Andy Murray recorded 12 wins over world No. 1s, all against members of the “Big Three”. He defeated Djokovic five times, including in the finals at the 2011 Cincinnati Open, 2013 Wimbledon, 2015 Canadian Open, and 2016 Italian Open. 

The British star also beat Federer four times, with the London 2012 Olympics being one of his biggest triumphs, and Nadal three times, including the 2008 US Open semi-finals.

4. Ivan Lendl – 13

Ivan Lendl amassed 13 wins over world No. 1s, with an incredible 10 of those coming against John McEnroe during the American’s reign at the top. Lendl also defeated Bjorn Borg and Stefan Edberg when they were No. 1, showcasing his consistency across generations.

Lendl’s rivalry with McEnroe was particularly fierce, and his triumphs in major finals, including the 1984 French Open and 1985 US Open, were defining moments in his career. The Czech-American player spent 270 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings himself, and his reign is the fourth longest in ATP Open Era history.

3. Novak Djokovic – 16

Novak Djokovic has notched 16 wins over world No. 1s, a testament to his longevity and excellence against fellow greats. Djokovic’s victories over top-ranked players include multiple wins against Federer, Nadal, and Andy Murray. He has a positive record against most top-ranked players, leading Nadal 31-29, Federer 27-23, and Murray 25-11.

Serbian dominance makes him possibly the greatest of all time. He beat Nadal 11 times, when the Spaniard was ranked No. 1, mostly during his sensational 2011 run that saw him win Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, and Wimbledon.

2. Boris Becker – 19

Boris Becker stands second on the all-time list for most wins over World No. 1-ranked players, with his maiden triumph over a world No. 1 coming in 1986, when he defeated Ivan Lendl in straight sets to defend his Wimbledon title. During his career, Becker repeatedly toppled Lendl, winning 10 of their 21 encounters, including major finals at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.

Among his most notable achievements, Becker became the first player to defeat the world’s top three-ranked players in succession at the 1994 Stockholm Masters, overcoming Pete Sampras, Goran Ivanisevic, and Michael Stich in a remarkable run.

His rivalries with Stefan Edberg (25–10), John McEnroe (8–2), Jim Courier (6–1), Mats Wilander (7–3), and Jimmy Connors (6–0) made him a formidable opponent during the late 1980s and 1990s.

1. Rafael Nadal – 23

Rafael Nadal holds the record with 23 wins over world No. 1-ranked players. The Spaniard’s tally is stunningly built entirely on victories against his legendary contemporaries: he defeated Roger Federer 13 times and Novak Djokovic 10 times while they held the top spot. 

Many of these wins came in Grand Slam finals, such as the 2008 Wimbledon epic against the Swiss icon and several French Open showdowns with Djokovic (2012 and 2020 finals, and semi-final victories in 2013 and 2022).

While Nadal trails Djokovic in head-to-head matches by a slender margin, he holds a positive record against Federer (24-16), who doesn’t find a place in this top five list, as he is two wins short of fifth-ranked Murray.

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