‘Crazy and special’ – Joe Salisbury joins Jamie and Andy Murray to become third ever British ATP world number one
Joe Salisbury will become the third Brit to be ATP world number one after the Miami Open, joining brothers Jamie and Andy Murray.
The 29-year-old will top the rankings when they update on Monday, closely followed by partner Rajeev Ram, 38, as the pair overtake world number one Mate Pavic and third ranked Nikola Mektic.
The top-seeded Croatian pair lost to Rohan Bopanna and singles number 14 Denis Shapovalov in the last 16, while Salisbury and Ram advanced to the quarter-finals by ousting Feliciano Lopez and singles number five Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 7-6 (7-2).
Salisbury said after being told the rankings news: “It seems a bit crazy, to be honest.
“But yeah, so happy.
“This week, we’re focusing on doing as well as we can, trying to win this tournament in Miami.
“What we’ve done as a team, with Rajeev (Ram), to be number one in the team rankings as well now, it’s pretty special.”
The British-American duo have won five ATP tour level titles together including two Slams at the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 US Open.
(Above) ATP doubles rankings prior to Miami Open (Below) Projected ATP doubles rankings after Miami Open at time of publication
Sources: atptour.com and live-tennis.eu
Mektic and Pavic could fall further after Miami concludes depending on how far fifth and sixth ranked partners Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers fair the rest of the event.
Should they reach the final both would overtake Mektic to rank fourth and fifth, and if they win the tournament will also surpass Pavic to sit at third and fourth in the rankings.
Salisbury and Ram are safe in first and second but could extend their rankings lead with results in Miami.
Jamie Murray became the first ever British world number one in April 2016 and spent a total of nine weeks in the top spot across two spells.
Andy followed soon after in November 2016, spending 41 weeks consecutively at world number one which included him being year-end number one for 2016.
Great Britain is yet to boast a WTA world number one in singles or doubles, with three-time singles Slam champion Virginia Wade peaking at number two in 1975 as the highest-ranked British woman ever.
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