Federer drops out of Top 40 for the first time since June 2000

Having not played a match since Wimbledon 2021, Roger Federer drops to No 44 in the latest rankings, his lowest in more than two decades

Switzerland’s Roger Federer during a press conference after losing his quarter final match at Wimbledon in 2021 Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

April 6, 2022

The 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer dropped out of the Top 40 of the world rankings for the first time since June 2000 after his points from the 2019 Miami Masters dropped off in this week’s rankings, published by the ATP Tour.

Federer has not played a match since his quarter-final loss to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon last year and underwent a third surgical procedure on his right knee soon thereafter. The Swiss has said he expects to come back to the tour in late summer/ early autumn, which means he will miss Wimbledon, which he has won eight times, this year.

In the latest rankings this week, Federer dropped 18 spots to No. 44, after his adjusted points (500 points) from winning the 2019 Miami Masters dropped off this week (due to the COVID-adjusted rankings methodology, players were able to retain 50 per cent of the points for the pandemic-affected tournaments not held in 2020).

Federer to lose all ranking points by Wimbledon 2022

Roger Federer — AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Federer currently holds 1,120 points but all of those will drop off his tally between now and Wimbledon 2022 this year, which means the Swiss will no longer have a ranking when he returns in the summer/ autumn. However, he will have a protected ranking (given to players who are out of the game with a long-term injury) which will enable him to enter a limited number of tournaments.

The last time Federer was not ranked in the world’s top 40 was in the week of June 5, 2000. He broke into the top 40 for the first time on June 12, 2000 at No 40 and had never exited the top 40 until this week.

Federer remains tied in second position on the list for most Grand Slam singles titles won in men’s tennis history with Novak Djokovic, with the two trailing Rafael Nadal, who picke dup his 21st major title in Australia earlier this year.

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