Marcelo Rios - The Only Male In Open Era To Achieve This Unique Feat
Marcelo Rios was the only player in the Open Era to be World No.1 and still not win any Grand Slam in his career
Published : August 3, 2025 at 8:18 PM IST
Hyderabad: Being placed at a higher position in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings is a thing of prestige for any male Tennis player. He rises the ladder in the rankings by winning multiple tournaments, including the Grand Slam wins. Some of them win grand slams after climbing to the top of the rankings. In short, every World No.1 player in the open era has won at least a single tennis major. However, Marcelo Ríos from Chile is an exception to the norm, and he is the only player in the open era to be world no.1 in ATP rankings without winning any Grand Slam.
The only player to be world no.1 without winning any Grand Slam
The Chilean was the second player, after Ivan Lendl, to reach world no.1 without winning any major title. However, Lendl went on to win eight major titles, while Rios ended his professional career without a Grand Slam singles title.
The Chilean had an impressive career, which included 18 18 career titles, but never managed to lift one of the four major trophies in the tournament. His impressive resume included five victories at Masters 1000 events and 13 finals.
The Chilean spent six weeks at no.1, but his best performance came in the 1998 Australian Open when he reached the final but lost against Petr Korda in straight sets.
This was the only instance when he made it to the final of any slam and the solitary time when he made it past the last eight of a slam. His career also includes five quarter-final defeats.
How does winning a grand slam boost ATP rankings of a player?
Grand Slam tournaments boost ATP rankings of players as they have a value of 2000 points, which is the highest allocation in the ATP system. This contrasts with other competitions like the Masters 1000s, which award winners 1000 points.
Notable mention: Ivan Lendl
Lendl held the world No. 1 rankings for 157 consecutive weeks, but importantly, he climbed to the spot even before winning any major slam in his career. He was a dominant force in Tennis during the Open era, particularly during the 1980s. He won two Australian Open titles (1989,1990), French Open (1984,1986 and 1987) and US Open (1985, 1986, and 1987).
