Novak Djokovic sets another record. Despite the difficult start to the season, the Serbian tennis player retains the top position in the ATP ranking, after a brief spell where he was overtaken by the current world number two, Daniil Medvedev.
The Slam champion spent a total of 367 weeks at the top of the world rankings: he is the player who has spent the most weeks in that position, overtaking Roger Federer and Pete Sampras. Novak Djokovic’s record in ranking is not just about weeks, but also about age.
The Serbian, in fact, became the third oldest player to reach the top 2 of the ATP rankings in the entire Open Era, at the age of 34, 11 months and three days. The world number one thus overtook the Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who was in the top 2 of the ranking up to 34 years and 11 months.
Injuries and long stops did not allow the king of Roland Garros to move up the rankings, but his return can upset the cards on the table. In this special ranking, Djokovic is behind two former world number ones: Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer.
The former Australian tennis player is a difficult goal to achieve: he was number one at 40 years and 7 months. More within reach of the Serbian is his long-time rival, Roger Federer. The Swiss played in the top 2 until the age of 37 years and two months.
The return of the Big 3
The challenge between the Big 3 could come out of the records and the numbers: Djokovic and Nadal will be able to return to play the same tournament after Roland Garros in 2021, where the two met in the semifinals, which ended with the victory of the Serbian.
The tournament of the clash will be Madrid, where both have confirmed their presence. Further away, however, the return of Roger Federer. The Laver Cup could be the competition that marks the return of the former world number one, followed by the ATP in Basel, where he has triumphed on ten occasions.
In these days Djokovic has expressed himself on the controversial story that saw Wimbledon banning Russian and Belarusian tennis players from the 2022 edition of the Championships, saying how in this way the London Slam board would violate some fundamental rules.
¿Sabías que…?
Novak Djokovic 🇷🇸 se ha convertido esta semana en el tercer tenista más veterano en el Top2 del ATP Ranking (1973-2022/Men’s Singles):
🇦🇺 Rosewall | 40y 7m (1975)
🇨🇭 Federer | 37y 2m (2018)
🇷🇸 Djokovic | 34y 11m 3d (2022)
🇪🇸 Nadal | 34y 11m 0d (2021) pic.twitter.com/wHl5gd9spK — MisterOnly.Tennis (@OnlyRogerCanFly) April 27, 2022
