The 21-time Major champion Novak Djokovic still hopes to enter the United States and compete at the upcoming US Open. Meanwhile, Djokovic has earned a ranking record this week, becoming the fourth player since 1973 with 748 weeks in the top-10.
Novak left Andre Agassi on 747, trailing only to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Jimmy Connors. Djokovic had to skip the Australian Open in January and did not get 2000 points for winning Wimbledon. Despite that, he is still ranked inside the top-10, and that will not change after the US Open.
Novak claimed his first professional title in 2003 at 16 and finished the following season inside the top-200. Making a Major debut at the Australian Open 2005 as a qualifier, Novak was ready to challenge better-ranked opponents that year.
He earned at least one win at the following three Majors and wrapped up the year in the top-100 for the first time despite a light schedule.
Novak Djokovic is the fourth player in the Open era with 748 top-10 weeks.
The sky was the limit for the Belgrade native after delivering 40 ATP wins in 2006, advancing into the quarter-final at Roland Garros and lifting the first ATP trophy in Amersfoort in July.
In October, Djokovic was the last man standing in Metz, carving the way towards the top-20 and preparing an even stronger assault in 2007. Losing the first Masters 1000 final at Indian Wells in March, Novak collected enough points to find himself in the top-10 for the first time.
The Serb performed as the top-10 player in Miami for the first time and went all the way for the most notable title before turning 20. As we all know, the rest is history, as Djokovic secured a place among the most outstanding players long ago.
Since 2011, Novak has been the leading figure in men’s tennis, reducing the deficit to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and looking eager to catch their Major tally. Novak had spent 555 consecutive weeks in the top-10 before losing his spot in the elite group in November 2017 after missing all the action after Wimbledon due to an elbow injury.
Djokovic needed half a year to recover his form and become a contender for notable titles again. He raised his level in May and June 2018 and cracked the top-10 again after winning Wimbledon. Standing among the players to beat in the last five years, Djokovic has earned many ranking records, including the most weeks as world no.
1. The Serb claimed three out of four Major titles in 2021 and finished the season as the year-end no. 1 for the record-breaking seventh time.
