Tennis
Who Has the Most ATP 500 Titles? Federer, Nadal, Djokovic
The men’s tennis schedule is brimming with a raft of exciting tournaments throughout the season, taking in all corners of the globe. Grand Slams are the most cherished prizes, but the ATP 500 competitions, which bridge the gap between the ATP Masters 1000 and ATP 250 series events, offer some prestige. While not as illustrious as their Masters 1000 counterparts, the ATP 500s attract competitive fields, and usually the cream rises to the top. In this guide, we have shone a light on the best ATP 500 players who have displayed sustained success at this level, mainly focusing on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. We have scrutinised their respective ATP 500 records, crunching the numbers and using our trusted methodology to reach a balanced conclusion on this fascinating topic.
Roger Federer / Getty Images
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Best ATP 500 Players
Our evaluation was scrupulous. We combined a statistical analysis of the players with the most ATP 500 titles with expert and media perception to provide a comprehensive ranking of the most dominant players at this level. Blending these two elements heralded the ‘SB Market Index’. Our in-depth model used a multi-layered approach, and the results extracted were accurate and transparent.
Industry Insights
A curated analysis from the top 10 tennis and sports media sources measures how prominently each player is featured in discussions about ATP 500 dominance and consistency.
| Source Name | Roger Federer | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic | Pete Sampras | David Ferrer |
| ATP Tour Official Site – “500 Club Title Leaders” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wikipedia – ATP Tour 500 Records & Statistics | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tennis.com – “Ranking the Kings of the 500s” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| UbiTennis – “Beyond the Slams: Analyzing 500 Success” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Bleacher Report – “Most Consistent Tour Players” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Perfect Tennis – “Federer’s Dominance in Halle/Dubai” | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Last Word on Sports – “Nadal’s Barcelona Reign” | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tennishead – “The Big Three’s Grip on the Tour” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Reddit r/tennis – Fan Polls on “Best 500 Player” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| EssentiallySports – “Comparing Mid-Tier Title Hauls” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
SB Score
| Player | Total ATP 500 Titles | SB Score |
| Roger Federer | 24 | 1.000 |
| Rafael Nadal | 23 | 0.958 |
| Novak Djokovic | 15 | 0.625 |
| Pete Sampras | 12 | 0.500 |
| David Ferrer | 10 | 0.417 |
This score is calculated based on the total number of ATP 500 singles titles won (100% weightage). The raw stats are used to calculate the final SB Score.
SB Market Index
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Roger Federer | 1.000 | 9 | 7.400 |
| 2 | Rafael Nadal | 0.958 | 8 | 6.592 |
| 3 | Novak Djokovic | 0.625 | 8 | 6.525 |
| 4 | Pete Sampras | 0.500 | 5 | 4.100 |
| 5 | David Ferrer | 0.417 | 5 | 4.083 |
The “Big Three” Dominance
As the grandmaster of the red dirt, Rafael Nadal’s clay 500s dominance was undeniable. 12 Barcelona Open titles, for example, was extraordinary, and his intensity levels were unrelenting wherever he played. The Spaniard, who was one of the best left-handed players in history, wound up with 23 ATP 500 titles when he retired from the sport. He returned a brilliant ‘SB Score’ and his strong ‘Industry Insights’ rating revealed the affection held for him by the media experts.
Novak Djokovic’s hard court 500s record helped him register 15 titles, and his success at 500 level contributed to him enjoying the most weeks spent at No.1, representing a major milestone. A beast on hard court, the Serbian, who forged one of tennis’ greatest rivalries with Nadal, fared well for ‘Industry Insights’, but his lower ‘SB Score’ pulled him into third in our most successful ATP 500 players table.
Roger Federer: The King of the 500s
Roger Federer’s 22 ATP 500 titles gained were remarkable. Apart from his pre-eminence on hard courts, Federer’s mastery of grass was mesmerising. The Swiss maestro trousered 10 titles at Halle, but Federer also thrived at his home tournament in Basel, and he’s one of the players with the most ATP Tour titles in history (103). His incredible 24-7 record in ATP 500 finals should be highlighted, but when you combine his near-perfect ‘Industry Insights’ rating with his supreme ‘SB Score’, Federer was the complete ATP 500 player.
The Legends of Consistency: Sampras and Ferrer
Pete Sampras’ career titles underpinned his insatiable appetite for success, and he attained double digits at 500 level. One of the best American tennis players ever, Sampras was famed for his booming serve and trademark slam-dunk style smash. His first ATP 500 win in 1990 arguably provided the launchpad for his career. A solid ‘SB Score’ and decent ‘Industry Insights’ rating saw Sampras make our list.
Meanwhile, David Ferrer’s consistency explained his success at 500 level, and while he was predominantly a clay court exponent, he also flourished on hard. Ferrer may have returned a lower ‘SB Score’, but he was propped up by a respectable ‘Industry Insights’ rating.
Conclusion on ATP 500 Mastery
In conclusion, comparing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic’s 500 level records provides a fascinating aspect to this debate. But overall, Federer was the most successful 500 player, judging by the results of our comprehensive model, which left no doubt.
Far from being just Grand Slam specialists, the top players referred to in this guide spread their innate talents across plenty of tournaments, demonstrating their versatility.
Performing at the peak of their powers week in, week out made them great entertainers, but their ability to amass so many wins collectively means they are woven into the rich tapestry of ATP 500 tournaments.
Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.