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The changing of the guard in world tennis was confirmed yesterday as both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fell out of the top four for the first time in 13 years.
The legendary rivals, who have won 31 Grand Slam titles between them during their careers, have been mainstays in the sport for well over a decade.
But respective injury problems and decline in form have finally caught up with the dynamic duo.
Federer, who has been sidelined since Wimbledon due to a knee injury, has fallen down to seventh in the new rankings.
Nadal, who has not claimed a Grand Slam title since 2014, has fallen down to No 5 in the world having been hampered by injury woes himself in recent years.
Novak Djokovic remains world No 1, a position he has held for the past 115 weeks since July 7, 2014.
Andy Murray, who won the China Open on Sunday, stays at No 2 in the world but has closed the gap on the Serb to 1 555 ranking points.
Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic make up the rest of the top four ahead of the ATP World finals at London’s 02 Arena in just over a month.
The last time Federer and Nadal were both ranked outside the top four was on June 23, 2003, two weeks before the Swiss won the first of his 17 Grand Slam titles and the first of seven triumphs at Wimbledon.
Nadal, then only 17, was ranked out at No 76 in the world, but he rose swiftly through the standings and entered the top four after winning the first of his 14 Grand Slam titles at the French Open in 2005. — SportsMail
Online Reporter