Roger Federer probably doesn't remember this date, but exactly 19 years ago, on September 22, 1997, his named has appeared on the ATP rankings list for the first time! He was 16 years and 1 month old at that moment and with 12 points earned at Switzerland 1 Masters Satellites at Bossonnens, he instantly made the Top 1000, being ranked at 803rd position.
In 1996, at the age of 15, Roger tried to qualify for two Satellites at home, with no success, and in July 1997 he lost in the qualifying round of the ATP event in Gstaad, so those events in Bossonnens were his first professional tournaments in the main draw in a career. In 4 tournaments, played on outdoor clay, Roger made two semi-finals, losing to the second seed Daniele Balducci and the first seed Agustin Garizzio respectively, and in the quarter-final to Yves Allegro, with whom he later played in many ATP doubles events, including 2004 Olympics in Athens (they won the title in Vienna in 2003). All in all, Roger scored 8 wins during that month at Bossonnens, and he finished 1997 ranked 704th. As we all know, the rest is history, and Roger is the leader of the ATP rankings in terms of an overall number of weeks spent at the top (302) and at the first place consecutively (237). He managed to finish 10 seasons ranked 1st or 2nd, which is also a record.
Important dates in Roger's progression through the ATP rankings:
22.9 1997 - First appearance on the ATP list, ranked 803rd
5.10 1998 - Gained almost 500 positions to enter Top 400
8.2. 1999 - Made Top 200 for the first time
20.9 1999 - Cracks Top 100 at the age of 18
2.10 2000 - Top 30
26.2 2001 - Top 20
20.5 2002 - Top 10
27.1 2003 - Top 5
2.2 2004 - Roger becomes world number 1.
5.10 1998 - Gained almost 500 positions to enter Top 400
8.2. 1999 - Made Top 200 for the first time
20.9 1999 - Cracks Top 100 at the age of 18
2.10 2000 - Top 30
26.2 2001 - Top 20
20.5 2002 - Top 10
27.1 2003 - Top 5
2.2 2004 - Roger becomes world number 1.
