Rafael Nadal [ Images ] clinched a golden treble to wrap up the Olympic [ Images ] tennis tournament on Sunday, overcoming Chilean Fernando Gonzalez [ Images ] to add the Games men's singles title to his French Open [ Images ] and Wimbledon [ Images ] crowns.

The unstoppable Spaniard won 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 to mark his impending rise to the top of the world rankings with his country's first ever Olympic gold medal in tennis.

- Perfectionist Nadal still not satisfied

Nadal takes over from Roger Federer, who held the No 1 spot in the ATP rankings for a record 237 consecutive weeks from February 2, 2004, after winning his first Australian Open [ Images ] title, until August 17, 2008.

- Legends laud the new No 1

Nadal is the 24th player to hold No. 1 in the history of the rankings (since August 23, 1973). He becomes the seventh active player to rank No. 1 in his career. Here is a list of the 24 players who have ranked No. 1 for the first time in the history of the rankings (since 1973):

The number ones

Player (Country)	Reached No. 1	Age	Total Weeks
Rafael Nadal (ESP)	Aug. 18, 2008	22 years, 2 months	1
Roger Federer [ Images ] (SUI)	Feb. 2, 2004	22 years, 5 months	237
Andy Roddick [ Images ] (USA)	Nov. 3, 2003	21 years, 2 months	13
Juan Carlos Ferrero [ Images ] (ESP)	Sept. 8, 2003	23 years, 6 months	8
Lleyton Hewitt [ Images ] (AUS)	Nov. 19, 2001	20 years, 8 months	80
Gustavo Kuerten (BRA)	Dec. 4, 2000	24 years, 2 months	43
Marat Safin [ Images ] (RUS)	Nov. 20, 2000	20 years, 9 months	9
Patrick Rafter (AUS)	July 26, 1999	26 years, 8 months	1
Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS)	May 3, 1999	25 years, 2 months	6
Carlos Moya [ Images ] (ESP)	Mar. 15, 1999	22 years, 6 months	2
Marcelo Rios (CHI)	Mar. 30, 1998	22 years, 3 months	6
Thomas Muster (AUT)	Feb. 12, 1996	28 years, 4 months	6
Andre Agassi [ Images ] (USA)	Apr. 10, 1995	24 years, 11 months	101
Pete Sampras [ Images ] (USA)	Apr. 12, 1993	21 years, 8 months	286
Jim Courier [ Images ] (USA)	Feb. 10, 1992	21 years, 5 months	58
Boris Becker [ Images ] (GER)	Jan. 28, 1991	23 years, 5 months	12
Stefan Edberg [ Images ] (SWE)	Aug. 13, 1990	24 years, 9 months	72
Mats Wilander (SWE)	Sept. 12, 1988	24 years, 1 month	20
Ivan Lendl [ Images ] (CZE)	Feb. 28, 1983	22 years, 11 months	270
John McEnroe [ Images ] (USA)	Mar. 3, 1980	21 years, 15 days	170
Bjorn Borg [ Images ] (SWE)	Aug. 23, 1977	21 years, 2 months	109
Jimmy Connors (USA)	July 29, 1974	21 years, 11 months	268
John Newcombe (AUS)	June 3, 1974	30 years, 11 days	8
Ilie Nastase (ROM)	Aug. 23, 1973	27 years, 1 month	40

Most consecutive weeks at No. 1

Player	Weeks	Duration
Roger Federer	237	Feb. 2, 2004-Aug. 17, 2008
Jimmy Connors	160	July 29, 1974-Aug. 22, 1977
Ivan Lendl	157	Sept. 9, 1985-Sept. 11, 1988
Pete Sampras	102	Apr. 15, 1996-Mar. 29, 1998

Total weeks at No. 1

Player	Weeks
Pete Sampras	286
Ivan Lendl	270
Jimmy Connors	268
Roger Federer	237
John McEnroe	170

Left-handers to rank No. 1

Player	Weeks
Jimmy Connors	268
John McEnroe	170
Thomas Muster	6
Marcelo Rios	6
Rafael Nadal	1

Courtesy: Greg Sharko/ATPptennis.com