Federer Pursues 100th Title, Bryan Chases 500th Week At No. 1 In 2019

In 2018, Novak Djokovic completed his Career Golden Masters, John Isner struck his 10,000th ace, Roger Federer became the oldest No. 1 in ATP Rankings history (since 1973) at 36 and much more. Here are some of the milestones out there for ATP Tour stars to reach in 2019:

Titles
– Federer continues his pursuit of title No. 100, after earning his 99th in Basel. The Swiss fell just short of the century mark when he reached the semi-finals in both Paris and London.

– Federer can also capture his 10th trophy in Halle and Basel. He’d become just the second player to win 10 titles at a single event, joining Rafael Nadal, who has done so at three tournaments.

– Nadal, who owns 11 victories at Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and Roland Garros, can become the first player to lift a trophy 12 times at a single event.

– Djokovic, who was victorious four times in 2018, is just three titles from becoming the sixth player to win 75 titles. The Serbian has earned three championships or more in 10 of the past 12 years.

– Mike Bryan, who finished at the top of the ATP Doubles Rankings for the 10th time in 2018, currently owns 121 tour-level doubles titles, 116 of which have come with brother Bob Bryan. While the twin brothers are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in that category, Mike Bryan can become the first player to win 125 titles in the discipline. He has captured at least four championships in a season 16 times.

– Andy Murray is looking to make a strong comeback in 2019, and what better way to do it than winning his 50th title? He currently sits with 45, but he has claimed five titles or more in a year four times previously.

– Juan Martin del Potro can become just the third Argentine to capture 25 titles. He needs to lift three trophies in 2019, a feat he has accomplished four times (2008-09, 2012-13).

– Marin Cilic (18 titles) has only captured four crowns in a season once before (2014). But if he manages to do so again, he will tie Goran Ivanisevic (22) for the most titles won by a Croatian.

Match Wins
– Nadal (918-189) can move past Guillermo Vilas (948-290) and become just the fourth player to crack the 950-wins mark. Ivan Lendl sits in third place with 1,068 victories (1,068-242).

– Djokovic (836-175) needs just 14 victories to become the seventh player to earn 850 wins. If the World No. 1 triumphs 46 times in 2019, he will pass Ilie Nastase (837-312), Andre Agassi (870-274) and John McEnroe (881-198) to move to the No. 6 spot.

– Murray (662-189) won seven matches in 2018, missing much of the year due to injury. But if the former World No. 1 bounces back, he can become the fifth active player (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Ferrer) to claim 700 wins.

– Tomas Berdych needs 12 wins to tie and 13 victories to pass Bjorn Borg for 20th place.

– Three players can reach the 500-wins mark in 2019: Stan Wawrinka (482-279), Cilic (479-252) and Feliciano Lopez (473-430). In 2018, Fernando Verdasco and Richard Gasquet hit the milestone, while recently retired Mikhail Youzhny fell just short at 499.

– Nicolas Almagro (397-278), John Isner (393-242) and Kei Nishikori (374-242) can all earn their 400th tour-level victories. Almagro would become the 14th Spaniard, Isner the 19th American and Nishikori would be the first Japanese.

– Jeremy Chardy (248-253), Roberto Bautista Agut (245-150), Ernests Gulbis (235-217), David Goffin (229-144) and Dominic Thiem (225-129) could all reach 250 wins.

Rankings Milestones
– Mike Bryan, who sits atop the ATP Doubles Rankings (479 weeks as of the week of 31 December), can become the first player to reach 500 weeks as World No. 1. If the American remains at No. 1, he can accomplish the feat as soon as 27 May.

– Djokovic can reach 250 weeks atop the ATP Rankings the week of 6 May. If the Serbian maintains top spot, he can pass Jimmy Connors (268 weeks) and Ivan Lendl (270) in 2019 to reach third place in weeks atop the ATP Rankings. He would trail just Federer (310) and Pete Sampras (286).

– If Nadal wrestles No. 1 back from Djokovic, he can reach 200 weeks on top of tennis’ mountain. The Spaniard has spent 196 weeks as World No. 1.

– Federer can finish inside the year-end Top 50 for the 20th consecutive year. The 37-year-old has finished 18 straight seasons inside the Top 20.

– Nadal can finish inside the year-end Top 10 for the 15th consecutive year (Federer had 14 straight from 2002-15).

– Murray, who currently sits at No. 257 in the ATP Rankings, can finish in the year-end Top 10 for the 10th time.

Did You Know?

Ivo Karlovic turns 40 on 28 February, and he will try to become the first 40-year-old to finish inside the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings since Jimmy Connors in 1992. Karlovic just missed out as a 39-year-old, finishing 2018 at No. 101. The Croatian became the oldest tour-level semi-finalist since a 40-year-old Connors at 1992 San Francisco in Houston this year.