The Elite Five: Men Who Won the Cincinnati Open While Ranked World No. 1
Roger Federer holds the record for the most Cincinnati Open titles won, and he is unsurprisingly one of only five men to win the tournament while sitting at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings. The Swiss maestro’s dominance on the courts has seen him secure the ATP Masters 1000 title seven times, with four of those victories coming when he was at the pinnacle of the men’s game. Federer, with his 20 Grand Slam titles, has been synonymous with success, and his ability to perform under the pressure of being the world’s top player is a testament to his greatness.
Federer is also the last player to win the Cincinnati Open while holding the No. 1 spot, a feat he accomplished in 2012. Now, current world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is looking to become only the sixth player to join this esteemed list. Sinner’s rise through the rankings has been meteoric, and while he has yet to taste victory in Cincinnati, his ambitions to follow in the footsteps of legends like Federer, Sampras, and Agassi are clear.
The Cincinnati Open, officially known as the Western & Southern Open, has been a staple on the tennis calendar since the start of the Open Era in 1968. However, the ATP Rankings, which provide the official measure of a player’s standing in the game, were only introduced in 1973. Since then, the event has seen several high-profile winners, but only a select few have managed to lift the trophy while ranked No. 1.
A History of Champions
Over the years, tennis fans have been treated to some memorable performances at the Cincinnati Open. Mats Wilander, Pete Sampras, and Novak Djokovic are just a few of the greats who have graced the tournament with their presence. Wilander, with four titles, and Sampras and Djokovic, each with three, are names that resonate with the history of this prestigious event. However, even these legends found the task of winning while at No. 1 elusive at times.
Federer’s achievement is all the more remarkable when considering that other greats like Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal have all missed out on winning the title while being the top-ranked player in the world. Even Carlos Alcaraz, who has taken the tennis world by storm, fell just short last year when he was beaten in the final by Djokovic.
The Five Men Who Did It
While many have tried, only five men have managed to capture the Cincinnati Open title while ranked as the best in the world. Here’s a closer look at these elite champions.
1. John McEnroe – 1981
American great John McEnroe was the first to achieve this feat. Starting his fourth stint at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings on August 3, 1981, McEnroe entered the ATP Championship (as the Cincinnati Open was known back then) as the top seed. The left-handed genius didn’t disappoint, going all the way to the final, where he defeated Chris Lewis 6–3, 6–4 to become the first world No. 1 to win the title.
2. Andre Agassi – 1995
It took more than a decade for another world No. 1 to lift the Cincinnati trophy, and once again, it was an American who did it. Andre Agassi, known for his charisma and flair on the court, won his first Cincinnati Open title in 1995. Agassi had become world No. 1 for the first time on April 10, 1995, and he held onto the top spot until November 5. In between, Agassi triumphed at the Cincinnati Open—then called the Thriftway ATP Championships—defeating Michael Chang in a hard-fought final. This victory solidified Agassi’s status as one of the game’s greats and gave the Cincinnati fans a performance to remember.
3. Pete Sampras – 1997 and 1999
Pete Sampras, another American legend, made the exclusive club even more elite when he won the Cincinnati Open twice while ranked No. 1. Sampras was at the top of the rankings from April 15, 1996, until March 29, 1998, and it was during this period that he first captured the title in 1997. He won his second Cincinnati Open title with a straight-sets victory over Thomas Muster.
Sampras’s dominance didn’t end there. In 1999, he became the first man to achieve the feat twice. Back at No. 1, he won his third and final Cincinnati title by defeating Patrick Rafter in the final. Sampras’s ability to perform consistently at the highest level made him one of the sport’s most revered figures.
4. Gustavo Kuerten – 2001
Brazilian legend Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten is often remembered for his clay-court prowess, but his 2001 Cincinnati Open victory while at No. 1 showcased his versatility. Kuerten, who held the top spot from April 23 until November 18, won one of his rare hard-court titles in Cincinnati. In a closely contested final, he defeated Patrick Rafter, adding another chapter to his remarkable career.
5. Roger Federer – 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012
Roger Federer, the man who needs no introduction, was at his peak in the early 2000s, a period during which he dominated the ATP Tour like no other. Federer was ranked No. 1 from February 2, 2004, until August 17, 2008, and during this time, he captured the Cincinnati Open title twice. In 2005, Federer defeated Andy Roddick to claim his first Cincinnati title while at No. 1, and he followed it up with a victory over James Blake in 2007.
But Federer’s mastery in Cincinnati didn’t stop there. After a brief period off the top spot, he returned to No. 1 on July 6, 2009, and once again showed his class by defeating Novak Djokovic in the final to claim his third Cincinnati title. In 2012, Federer completed his remarkable run by winning the tournament for a fourth time while at No. 1, once again besting Djokovic. Federer’s ability to win consistently, even under the pressure of being the world’s top player, is what sets him apart from his peers.
A Prestigious Legacy
Winning the Cincinnati Open is a significant achievement in any player’s career, but doing so while ranked No. 1 elevates the victory to a different level. For John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Gustavo Kuerten, and Roger Federer, their triumphs in Cincinnati are etched in the annals of tennis history. Each victory not only solidified their status as legends of the game but also underscored their ability to thrive under the immense pressure of being the best in the world.
As Jannik Sinner and the next generation of tennis stars strive to add their names to this elite list, the legacy of these five men continues to inspire and define what it means to be a champion at the highest level. The Cincinnati Open remains one of the most prestigious stops on the ATP Tour, and the quest to win it while at No. 1 will always be a coveted milestone for any top player.
