The ATP has launched a new interesting docuseries following the journeys of the 29 men who have ever reached the top of the world rankings. It’s been a long time coming.
What does it actually take to become World No. 1? Not just the talent clearly, but the obsession, the sacrifice, the mental strength required to claw your way to the very top of the most demanding individual sport on the planet.
The ATP is now attempting to answer that question properly.
ACES: The ATP No. 1 Club is a new four-part docuseries offering an inside look at the players who have reached the very top of men’s professional tennis. Only 29 men in history have reached the ATP World No. 1 ranking, and for the first time, this series brings their stories together… the moments, rivalries and defining decisions that shaped their journeys.
A cast list unlike any other
Spanning every era since 1972, it shows us the defining matches, rivalries and personal costs that shaped these champions. We’ve already seen the sacrifices of Nadal in his recent Netflix documentary RAFA and now we get the chance to see other similar talents tell their story. The opening episode focuses on the pioneers who built modern tennis: Ilie Nastase, John Newcombe, Jimmy Connors, Björn Borg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander. These are players who defined an era of fierce rivalries and strong personalities, and they proved that reaching No. 1 demanded far more than talent.
From there, the series moves through the generations: Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, through to the Big Three era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, right up to the sport’s current stars in Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
The man behind the camera
Directing the series is Pat Dimon, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who clearly approached this as something personal. “It was a privilege and lifelong dream to meet and chat with so many of the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport,” Dimon said. “Viewers will get a first-person account of their mental and physical journey to the top and the battle to stay there.”
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi added a perspective that feels earned rather than corporate. “Reaching World No. 1 is the ultimate achievement in our sport, and having experienced life on Tour I understand how much that journey demands,” he said. The series, he added, is as much about growing tennis’s global fanbase as it is about celebrating its legends.
We look forward to this! ?? https://t.co/vnRsFxslad
— Tennisnerd.net (@Tennisnerdnet) June 24, 2026
Where and when to watch?
The docuseries launched on Prime Video in the US on June 22 and arrives on Channel 5 in the UK on June 29. The global rollout is extensive. Bell Media (and Crave) has acquired the series for Canada, while European streamer SkyShowtime has secured it across a raft of territories including several in Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Spain and Portugal. In Asia, Now TV holds rights for Hong Kong and Macau, and JioHotstar carries it in India.
More than just a documentary
The docuseries is part of a broader initiative the ATP launched in 2024. Alongside the series, the ATP has partnered with leading global publisher Phaidon to produce a book – ATP No. 1 Club: Icons of Men’s Tennis – launching later this year.
The ATP No. 1 Club also extends into exclusive experiences at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where guests can access opportunities to meet former World No. 1 players.
Who are the players?
Here are all 29 men who have reached ATP World No. 1, in chronological order of when they first claimed the top spot:
- Ilie Nastase — Romania (1973)
- John Newcombe — Australia (1974)
- Jimmy Connors — USA (1974)
- Björn Borg — Sweden (1977)
- John McEnroe — USA (1980)
- Ivan Lendl — Czechoslovakia/USA (1983)
- Mats Wilander — Sweden (1988)
- Stefan Edberg — Sweden (1990)
- Boris Becker — Germany (1991)
- Jim Courier — USA (1992)
- Pete Sampras — USA (1993)
- Andre Agassi — USA (1995)
- Thomas Muster — Austria (1996)
- Marcelo Ríos — Chile (1998)
- Carlos Moyá — Spain (1999)
- Yevgeny Kafelnikov — Russia (1999)
- Patrick Rafter — Australia (1999)
- Marat Safin — Russia (2000)
- Gustavo Kuerten — Brazil (2000)
- Lleyton Hewitt — Australia (2001)
- Juan Carlos Ferrero — Spain (2003)
- Andy Roddick — USA (2003)
- Roger Federer — Switzerland (2004)
- Rafael Nadal — Spain (2008)
- Novak Djokovic — Serbia (2011)
- Andy Murray — Great Britain (2016)
- Daniil Medvedev — Russia (2022)
- Carlos Alcaraz — Spain (2022)
- Jannik Sinner — Italy (2024)
A remarkable spread of nationalities: 15 different countries represented across more than five decades of pro tennis.
