After winning over Robin Haase in the World Tennis Tournament quarter-finals in Rotterdam on Friday, Roger Federer became the oldest World No 1 tennis player, dethroning Andre Agassi from the position.

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The 36-year-old Swiss tennis champion, Roger Federer, who had just won his 20th grand slam title last month by claiming a sixth Australian Open and he is just getting better. On Friday, Federer defeated his Dutch contender Robin Haase at World Tennis Tournament quarter-finals in Rotterdam with 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. The victory over the Dutchman landed Roger Federer in gaining ATP rankings and he has now replaced Rafael Nadal at the top of the ATP rankings to become the oldest World No 1 tennis player at an age of 36, when most sportsmen and athletes decide to hit retirement. However, it is certainly not the case with Roger Federer.

With the ATP top ranking, Federer has surpassed Andre Agassi as the oldest player to occupy the summit of the men’s game – the American was 33 when he was last on top in September 2003. Federer continues to raise the bars in the world of sports with his remarkable achievements and records. Agassi was among the first to congratulate Federer: “Roger Federer continues to raise the bar in our sport. Congratulations on yet another remarkable achievement!!” he said on Twitter. Federer’s return to the top spot will be formally rubber-stamped when the men’s tour rankings are published on Monday.

Federer also beats the mark set by the record holder in the women’s game, Agassi’s compatriot Serena Williams, who was 35 when she was last No 1 in May 2017. Talking about the victory, Federer said, “Reaching No 1 is one of, if not the ultimate achievement in our sport. Sometimes at the beginning you just kind of get there because you played so well but later you have to fight for it and have to wrestle it back from someone who deserves to be there. When you are older you maybe have to put double the work in. This maybe means the most to me in my career.”

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