DUBAI, Feb 26: Roger Federer took over the No. 1 ranking in men's tennis more than three years ago, and he shows no signs of letting it go.

The 10-time Grand Slam champion reached a new milestone on Monday when he broke Jimmy Connors’s 30-year-old mark with his 161st week at the top of the ATP rankings.

“This is definitely something that will stay for quite some time,” the 25-year-old Swiss star said. “It's not something you do overnight. It's a long, hardworking process.”

Connors set his record from July 1974 to August 1977. The ATP rankings began on Aug 23, 1973.

“It is a nice record to have,” said Federer, who also held a career high 36-match winning streak heading into Monday's match against Kristian Pless in the first round of the Dubai Open. “I'll definitely keep it for three years. It’s very hard to beat.”—AP