The defeat against Monfils at the BNP Paribas Open 2022 has deprived Medvedev of the position of number 1 of the world tennis. Three weeks, that’s how long the reign of the Russian tennis player lasted. It seemed we could be witnessing the beginning of a new era, but perhaps we took for granted the responsibility of being the one to inherit the scepter of Novak Djokovic. The Moscow-born tennis player was only the 3rd Russian to become world number 1. Let’s face it, this is not the first time a tennis player has had to abdicate early, there are even those who have done better – or worse – than Medvedev since the ATP introduced today’s world ranking, back in 1973.
Such is the case of Carlos Moyá, who was at the top of the world ranking for only two weeks in 1999. Rafa Nadal’s current coach remained No. 1 from March 15 until March 28 before giving way to Pete Sampras.
Better luck graced the trio of Muster, Ríos and Kafelnikov who totaled 6 weeks each at the top of the ranking; for the Austrian the first week was between 12 and 18 February 1996, the next 5 between 11th March and 14th April of the same year. Both times he had to give up the number 1 spot to Pete Sampras.
For the Chilean tennis player – the first Latin American player to reach #1 in the ATP ranking – 4 weeks between March 30 and April 26, 1998 and the next 2 weeks between August 10 and 23, 1998.
The Russian Kafelnikov, the man who sparked the ‘Russian revolution’ in the world of tennis, remained at the top of the ranking for 6 weeks, from May 3rd to June 13th, 1999.
Popular Tennis-themed Slots
The excitement of tennis has been igniting the world of online slots for several years now. So bring your racket along and put on your white sports attire as we take a look at some of the most popular tennis-themed slots out there that you can play at these slot sites and try your luck for a win!
Tennis Champion by Spinomenal
This 5×5 slot is one of the most popular tennis-themed slots out there and comes with a 92.3% RTP. It’s ideal for low and high rollers thanks to its £0.05 minimum wager, which goes up to a £50 wager per spin. Lucky players can walk away with up to a whopping 4,000x win. Some of the unique features of this game are:
- Wild symbols represented by the female tennis players
- Up to 12 free spins when players land the male tennis player scatter symbols
- Winning multiplier features that can reward players with up to 15x the payout
Tennis Stars by Playtech
This slot also happens to be one of the most loved by tennis fans worldwide. Tennis Stars truly captures the atmosphere on the court thanks to stunning visuals and soundtrack. The 5×4 reel grid comes with 40 paylines, a 95.6% RTP and a maximum jackpot win of up to 5,000x. The game also has tonnes of features that increase players’ chances of winning big, such as:
- A championship bonus where players can play a mock tennis match for the chance to win cash prizes
- Free games where players start with 15 free spins and can trigger an infinite amount of free spins as long as the scatters land on the reels
- A 5x multiplier during the championship bonus round and a 3x multiplier during the free spins round
Centre Court by Microgaming
This slot features the classic 5×3 reel layout and is best suited for players who appreciate a no-frills, visually appealing slot. It comes with a 95.5% RTP and a maximum win of up to 1,000 the original stake. Despite its classic style, this slot comes with some special features, including:
- Free spins awards which can be triggered and re-triggered multiple times
- An in-game gamble feature that allows players to gamble existing winnings for the chance to bag an even larger payout
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