ATP: So Federer remains number 1 until the grass season

Roger Federer may remain on the world ranking throne longer than expected. Due to the injury-related cancellations of his closest rivals Rafael Nadal in Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami, the “Maestro” could defend the lead at least until June.

The oldest number one in tennis history since its successful tournament week in Rotterdam is back in the sunshine. It is not impossible that Federer will soon have to leave his throne: if the 36-year-old Swiss player should fail at the upcoming ATP Masters 1000 tournament in the Californian desert before the semi-finals, Rafael Nadal will take the lead again.

On the other hand, the Spaniard who is injured at the hip loses a total of 990 points due to his announced recovery break – played in Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami a year ago.

So if Federer defends the “Sunshine Double”, he can’t be pushed out of the lead until the grass court in June. After Miami he would then have a lead of 1,290 points over Nadal, who has to defend 4,680 points from the last clay court campaign. Conversely, this means that even five tournament victories on the red ashes in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros would not be enough for the “Bull of Manacor” to regain the one.

Even though Federer only wins one of the two major Hartplatz events, he retains his supremacy in the ranking after Miami. This is also the case with one final and one quarter-final or two semi-finals in the coming “1000s”.

If Federer relinquishes the Masters in Miami after a possible tournament victory at Indian Wells, he would still remain in the lead with a narrow 35 points up to the Italian Open in Rome.

Nadal doesn’t care about these math games at the moment anyway,”I’ve been in the top two for years. Whether I’m the one, the three or the five doesn’t make a big difference,”said Rafa even before his retirement in Acapulco.