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Reaching the World No. 1 position is nothing short of realizing a cherished dream for most players on tour and Carlos Alcaraz did just that by winning the 2022 US Open.
While some tennis legends have held on to the position atop the world rankings for a substantial amount of time, others who have been less fortunate have made the most of their brief reign.
Yet, there have been instances where players who have painstakingly battled to climb the rankings ladder have shockingly lost their first-ever match after being bestowed with the World No. 1 ranking.
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Let's take a look at the four players who lost their debut match as World No. 1.
#4. John McEnroe
The American legend began his ascent to the top of the rankings by becoming the youngest-ever US Open champion in 1979 at the age of 20 years and six months. Soon after, McEnroe astounded the tennis world by climbing the rungs to occupy the coveted World No. 1 position for the first time on March 3, 1980.
The euphoria of being the top-ranked men's singles player in the world was cruelly cut short when McEnroe lost two back-to-back Davis Cup matches, the first being against Jose-Luis Clerc in Beunos Aires on March 8.
The Argentinian, who was a former World No. 4, won 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 13-11 to give his country a 1-0 lead against the USA.
McEnroe lost yet again, this time against Guillermo Vilas 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 despite winning the doubles tie alongside Peter Fleming. His loss against Vilas meant that the USA lost to Argentina in their Davis Cup clash.
#3. Thomas Muster
Thomas Muster, who won the 1995 French Open title, his only Grand Slam triumph, became the top-ranked men's player in the world on February 12, 1996.
The left-handed Austrian rose to take Andre Agassi's position at the helm after a masterful claycourt season during the course of which he won 40 matches on the trot on his favorite surface.
Sandon Stolle of Australia, who was ranked 161 at the time, inflicted a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 defeat on Muster in the first round of the Dubai Open even as the Austrian went on to lose his World No. 1 position after just a week.
Muster did, however, reclaim the top spot for a total of five weeks through March and April 1996.
#2. Lleyton Hewitt
The Aussie caused a sensation by defeating four-time US Open champion Pete Sampras in the finals at Flushing Meadows in 2001, also going on to prove that his win against the American in the finals of the Queen's Club Championships in 2000 was no flash in the pan.
On November 19, 2001 Hewitt made it to the top rung of the men's rankings at 20 years of age by beating Patrick Rafter in the Tennis Masters Cup.
The Aussie player did beat Juan Carlos Ferrero and Sebastien Grosjean to win the tournament but lost his first Davis Cup match after officially being declared as World No. 1.
Hewitt went down to Nicolas Escude 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, which allowed France to take control of the Davis Cup final before Patrick Rafter pulled one back for the Aussies by defeating Sebastien Grosjean.
#1. Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz lost his debut match as the World No. 1 when he went down to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Davis Cup Finals group-stage tie between Canada and Spain on Friday.
Alcaraz, who became the youngest-ever player to ascend to the top of the ATP rankings after winning the 2022 US Open title, was defeated 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2 by the Canadian in Valencia.
The 19-year-old was, however, commended for taking part in the Davis Cup after a grueling US Open campaign. Incidentally, Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero also suffered an early defeat after he attained the World No. 1 position back in 2003.
Representing Spain in a Davis Cup tie, Ferrero lost to Agustin Calleri of Argentina in the reverse singles after giving his country the lead by getting past Gaston Gaudio in his first match since becoming World No. 1.
Despite the loss, Alcaraz continues his streak of winning at least a set in every match he has played this season.
