Rafael Nadal is assured of finishing the year as world No 1 following Roger Federer's defeat in the Madrid Masters, the ATP said.

Spain's Rafael Nadal gestures after a second round tennis match against Latvia's Ernests Gulbis of the Masters in Madrid of Spain, Oct. 14, 2008. Nadal won 2-1. [Chen Haitong/Xinhua]

Nadal becomes the 15th year-end No 1 since Ilie Nastase in 1973, with names such as Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and Federer himself all having managed the feat.

After Federer's semifinal loss to Andy Murray in Madrid, the 22-year-old Mallorca native, who was also a semifinal loser to Gilles Simon, was certain to become the first left-hander since John McEnroe in 1984 and the third lefty in the 36-year history of the ATP rankings to be No 1 at the season's end.

McEnroe had the honor from 1981-84 and Jimmy Connors sat on top of the world from 1974-78. Nadal is the first Spaniard to follow in their footsteps.

Nadal took over the No 1 ranking on Aug 18 after placing second for a record 160 consecutive weeks (since July 25, 2005).

Federer held the top position for a record 237 straight weeks from Feb 2, 2004 to Aug 17 this year.

Nadal said: "To become No 1 during the year was one of my goals and it is important to have achieved it. Moreover, if you finish the year as No 1 it is even more special.

"I am also very happy to bring something more to Spanish sport, something for Spanish history and for our great tennis tradition."

Nadal, who won eight tournaments and won 80 of his 90 matches during the year, became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon double after dethroning five-time champion Federer in a five-set epic at the All England Club.

Nadal, who also captured this summer's Olympic title, is one of four players to have so far qualified for the season-ending Masters Cup Shanghai, which begins Nov 9.

Federer, Novak Djokovic and Murray are the other qualifiers.

(Agencies via China Daily October 20, 2008)