This was the last ATP ranking without Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer in the top 10
Next Monday, September 14 will go down in the history of world tennis as a turning point and the beginning of a new era: the end of the Big 3 in the elite. The defeat of Novak Djokovic in the first round of the US Open 2026 seals his official exit from the top-10 in the upcoming update of the ATP ranking, scheduled for that date, meaning an unprecedented situation will arise for the first time in over 24 years.
Specifically, the last time a top-10 in the ATP ranking did not include Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer was on October 7, 2002. Since that distant day, at least one of those three men has always been among the best players in the world. It is worth looking back to appreciate this achievement and what the new scenario will entail in just a few days.
Possibly, some of our readers may not even have been born on that day and may not know tennis without the presence of a member of the Big 3 at the top. The older generation might still remember what the world was like back on that distant October 7, 2002, and what is clear is that tennis has grown to unimaginable heights thanks to the legacy of these three giants of sports history.
What was the last top-10 without any player from the Big 3 like?
On that date, Lleyton Hewitt was the number 1 in the world, with Tommy Haas at the peak of his career, Andre Agassi struggling to hold onto the elite, and an emerging Marat Safin already challenging the best with his distinctive personality. Spanish tennis was already on the rise, with three representatives in the top-10 (Costa, Ferrero, and Moyà), while Henman, Kafelnikov, and Grosjean rounded out the lineup.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Este fue el último ranking ATP sin Djokovic, Nadal ni Federer en el top-10