Rafael Nadal becomes the fourth man in history to win 1,000 ATP Tour matches

Rafael Nadal recorded his 1,000 ATP Tour win by beating Feliciano Lopez in a tough three-set match at the Paris Masters, becoming just the fourth man to ever achieve the feat. 

The 13-time French Open champion in the footsteps of Ivan Lendl (1,068 wins), his great opponent Roger Federer (1,242 wins) and Jimmy Connors (1,274 wins) after overcoming his fellow Spaniard 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the event.  

‘To achieve that number is because I have been playing well for a lot of years and is something that makes me feel happy,’ Nadal told reporters afterwards at a virtual press conference.

‘I just can say thank you very much to all the people that helped me and all the people that in any moment of my life helped me to be where I am.

‘I know it is a very special number, 1,000. Even if it’s not the same to celebrate something like this without a crowd, I enjoy it with ATP, with the president of the French (Tennis) Federation, Guy Forget, supervisor and the ball boys. 

‘I enjoy it and just can say thanks to all of them to make this moment a little bit more special.’

Nadal may have had until the ATP World Tour Finals in London later this month to reach the landmark as he struggled early on, with the 39-year-old Lopez’s break in the third