Carlos Moya broke new ground on 15 March 1999, when he became Spain’s first player to reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Competing for a country sparkling with rich history in the sport, the Mallorcan’s importance is not to be measured by the two weeks he spent at the pinnacle of the PIF ATP Rankings.
Spaniards like Manuel Orantes, Sergi Bruguera, and Alex Corretja had all reached the Top 3, but Moya’s rise to No. 1 was a groundbreaking achievement that paved the way for other Spaniards to do the same. Juan Carlos Ferrero, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are also Spaniards among the 29 players in the ATP No. 1 club.
Moya may have had a short stint at No. 1, but his time there was thanks to a long period of hard work and 12 months featuring some of the best results of his career. In April 1998, a 21-year-old Moya claimed his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in Monte-Carlo, making him one of the favourites to win the following month’s Roland Garros — even though he had only won two matches at the Parisian major across 1996-97.
Moya lived up to such high expectations in France, finishing the two-week tournament with his hands around the trophy. In his third Roland Garros appearance, Moya defeated his countryman Corretja in the final. Moya continued to build upon his momentum that season: He reached the US Open semi-finals and the title match at his home tournament in Mallorca.
Moya reached the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals and came within a few games of taking the title, but let slip a two-sets lead against Corretja, who earned revenge for his three losses to Moya that season.
In 1999 at Indian Wells, Moya kickstarted his campaign by defeating two-time champion Jim Courier. He went on to reach the final, during which he suffered a five-set defeat to Mark Philippoussis. Despite the loss, Moya had earned a new title: World No. 1, becoming the 15th player in the Open Era to achieve this feat. Moya dethroned Sampras for No. 1 honours.
The 20-time tour-level titlist Moya was one of three (alongside Patrick Rafter and Yevgeny Kafelnikov) new World No. 1s that year, which remains a record high. With Agassi and Sampras also holding top spot during 1999, the tally of five different World No. 1s in a calendar year has also never been topped.
Learn more about the ATP No. 1 Club
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