Everyone knows the player on the top of the ATP/WTA rankings usually gets the Year-End No. 1 ranking, but there have been times when the International Tennis Federation has disagreed with that ranking and named their own Champion for that year. Since 1978, there have been a few difference for both the men and the women:
ITF Men Champions (ATP No. 1):
1982: Jimmy Connors (John McEnroe)
1989: Boris Becker (Ivan Lendl)
1990: Ivan Lendl (Stefan Edberg)
2013: Novak Djokovic (Rafael Nadal)
ITF Women Champions (WTA No. 1):
1978: Chris Evert (Martina Navratilova)
1994: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (Steffi Graf)
2001: Jennifer Capriati (Lindsay Davenport)
2004: Anastasia Myskina (Lindsay Davenport)
2005: Kim Clijsters (Lindsay Davenport)
2011: Petra Kvitova (Caroline Wozniacki)
2012: Serena Williams (Victoria Azarenka)
The ITF puts a lot more emphasis on the Grand Slams and the Davis Cup than the ATP/WTA does. Some of these have been controversial, such as Lendl-Edberg in 1990 and Djokovic-Nadal in 2013. It's interesting that the ITF has taken away three of Lindsay Davenport's No. 1 titles. It's also interesting that despite ITF putting emphasis on the Slams, Wozniacki and Jankovic still took home the ITF trophy.
So, TTFers, which year-end title do you think is more legit: the ATP/WTA title or the ITF trophy?
ITF Men Champions (ATP No. 1):
1982: Jimmy Connors (John McEnroe)
1989: Boris Becker (Ivan Lendl)
1990: Ivan Lendl (Stefan Edberg)
2013: Novak Djokovic (Rafael Nadal)
ITF Women Champions (WTA No. 1):
1978: Chris Evert (Martina Navratilova)
1994: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (Steffi Graf)
2001: Jennifer Capriati (Lindsay Davenport)
2004: Anastasia Myskina (Lindsay Davenport)
2005: Kim Clijsters (Lindsay Davenport)
2011: Petra Kvitova (Caroline Wozniacki)
2012: Serena Williams (Victoria Azarenka)
The ITF puts a lot more emphasis on the Grand Slams and the Davis Cup than the ATP/WTA does. Some of these have been controversial, such as Lendl-Edberg in 1990 and Djokovic-Nadal in 2013. It's interesting that the ITF has taken away three of Lindsay Davenport's No. 1 titles. It's also interesting that despite ITF putting emphasis on the Slams, Wozniacki and Jankovic still took home the ITF trophy.
So, TTFers, which year-end title do you think is more legit: the ATP/WTA title or the ITF trophy?
