Rafael Nadal received the ATP No. 1 ranking trophy in front of a sell-out crowd, at the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid, the Spaniard's first ATP tour event as World No. 1.


A four-time Grand Slam champion, Manolo Santana who is Madrid Tournament Director presented the trophy to Nadal on behalf of the ATP.


Rafa has had a spectacular season, winning a fourth consecutive French Open, gold at the Beijing Olympics and his maiden Wimbledon title to replace arch-rival Roger Federer as the world number one.


"My objective is to arrive safely on Wednesday, ready to play a good match. Winning the tournament isn't the objective but to ensure I am still number one at the end of the year," Nadal said after a training session on Friday.


Federer's dominant victory over Andy Murray in last month's US Open final added to the feeling that the Swiss world number two has rediscovered his best form, and there is the possibility of a fifth meeting with Nadal this term, in Madrid.

Nadal has won all four clashes between the two in 2008.

"It would be great to have another duel with Federer. If I play him it means I will be number one at the end of the year because I will have reached the final. I can only meet him there," Nadal added.

Nadal, Federer, Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Britain's Murray have all guaranteed themselves places in the lucrative Masters Cup in Shanghai on Nov 9-16, leaving four more places up for grabs.


(source ATP Tennis, photo/PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images, Reuters)

Rafael Nadal Receives ATP No. 1 Ranking Trophy