Tennis

Federer third in rankings for first time since 2003

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-07-05 19:39

LONDON - Roger Federer slipped down one place to world number three on Monday, the first time the Swiss great has been ranked outside the top two since November 2003.

? Switzerland's Roger Federer wipes his face in his match against Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic at the 2010 Wimbledon tennis championships in London, June 30, 2010. [Agencies]

Federer, winner of a record 16 grand slams, suffered a shock quarter-final defeat to Czech Tomas Berdych at Wimbledon, won for the second time on Sunday by world number one Rafael Nadal.

Federer also lost at the same stage of the French Open in June, breaking a record sequence of 23 consecutive semi-final or better appearances in grand slams going back to Roland Garros in 2004.

Serbian Novak Djokovic, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon, is now world number two.

Federer was last at three in the world on Nov. 10 2003, since which time he has notched up 15 grand slam titles after opening his account at Wimbledon that year.

The 28-year-old first reached world number one on Feb. 2 2004, holding the position until August 2008 when Nadal climbed to the top.

Federer then reclaimed the top slot the following July after winning Wimbledon for the sixth time, but saw Nadal again oust him as world number one in June this year.

American Pete Sampras holds the record for time spent at number one with 286 weeks, just one more than Federer.