London: Spain's Rafael Nadal is guaranteed finishing the year on top of the rankings after winning the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, the ATP said on Thursday.
The 24-year-old has been virtually unstoppable since the beginning of the European claycourt season and on Monday completed his career grand slam by beating Novak Djokovic to win the US Open at Flushing Meadows. He is the youngest player to have won all four grand slams in the professional era.
"It has been an incredible season — one of my best ever, if not the best," Nadal said in a statement on Thursday.
"Winning the US Open together with Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as the three back-to-back (ATP World Tour) Masters 1000s in Europe, was not easy.
"I worked very hard to get back to the top and it feels really good to know I will end the year as number one."
