Roger Federer, who has been out of action since Wimbledon last year, has dropped out of the top 50 of the ATP rankings for the first time in exactly 22 years.
Federer, who made a comeback at Doha last year, suffered a knee injury during SW19 and underwent knee surgery – his third – following which the Swiss maestro is yet to return to the sport.
Federer broke into the top 50 for the first time on June 12, 2000. When the updated ATP rankings were announced on Monday, exactly 22 years later, Federer fell out of the top 50.
The last time Roger Federer wasn’t in the top 50, Serena and Venus Williams had just a single Grand Slam title between them. Serena Williams won her maiden Grand Slam at the 1999 US Open, while Venus Williams’ first major triumph was at Wimbledon in 2000.
Serena Williams, who defeated defending champion Linday Davenport in the semifinals, got past Martina Hingis in the final. The American legend has won the US Open five more times in her career (2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014).
Incidentally, Hingis made it to the final by defeating Venus Williams, who won the US Open for the first time the following year and again in 2001.
Ashleigh Barty was 4 years old the last time Roger Federer was not in the top 50
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Meanwhile, Roger Federer is not done with tennis just yet. The 20-time Grand Slam champion is aiming to return to action at the Laver Cup in September and has also confirmed his participation at the Swiss Indoors in October.