Nadal takes No. 1 spot

(GETTY IMAGES)

Rafael Nadal has been confirmed as the new world number one in men's tennis, knocking Roger Federer off top spot for the first time in 237 weeks.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who had been number two behind Federer for 160 of those weeks, has had an incredible season.

He became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same year, winning at the All England Club for the first time in a classic five-set clash with Federer.

He underlined his current dominance of the game with Olympic gold in Beijing on Sunday and will now turn his sights on the US Open, which begins a week today.

"Nowhere in my best dreams I can imagine something like what I did this year," Nadal said after his Olympic victory.

"I am playing an unbelievable season, no doubt. I have to be very happy for everything.

"The feeling for sure is very happy for being number one, but the feeling doesn't change too much because the last years I did very well too.

"It is a satisfaction... I want to enjoy these two days probably, but later I have to be focused on New York."

The Majorcan has won eight ATP titles this season and has a 70-8 record.

ATP executive chairman Etienne de Villiers said: "Rafa's rise to world number one in the ATP rankings is fitting reward for his phenomenal run of results in a difficult tennis year.

"His unbeaten run on clay and grass underlines Rafa's talent and the all round player he has become. It is no small feat to have ended Roger's record reign as the world's best player and now fans can look forward to both players continuing the most engrossing rivalry in world sport."

Andy Roddick was the last man before Federer to be world number one in January 2004.