The 35-year-old is now solely participant to remain most weeks on the No 1 spot.
IMAGE: Novak Djokovic’s present spell at World No 1 started final month after he clinched his tenth Australian Open title in January. Photograph: Hannah Mckay/Reuters
Novak Djokovic on Monday achieved one other milestone in his illustrious profession — the Serbian overtook Steffi Graf for file most weeks as World No 1.
The 35-year-old already holds the file for essentially the most weeks as No. 1 within the historical past of the ATP Rankings when he surpassed Roger Federer’s mark of 310 weeks in March 2021. Now he has moved previous Graf by starting his 378th week perched on the highest.
His present spell at World No 1 started final month after he clinched his tenth Australian Open title in January.
Graf’s 377 weeks on the peak of the WTA Rankings started in 1987, together with spending all of 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, and 1996 as the ladies’s World No 1.
“Of course, along with your love and nice energy that you’ve given me over time, I’ve managed to attain many improbable achievements all through my profession,” Djokovic stated in a video posted on his official Instagram deal with.
“The most up-to-date one is breaking the file 378 weeks on No. 1 (within the) rankings, surpassing one of many best, most legendary tennis gamers, each women and men that ever performed — Steffi Graf. So, I’m flattered, clearly extraordinarily, extraordinarily proud and blissful for this achievement,” he added.
The 35-year-old, who’s participating within the Dubai Tennis Championships this week, reached the highest of the ATP Rankings for the primary time on July 4, 2011, when he was 24 years and 43 days outdated. Between July 7, 2014, and November 6, 2016, he spent a personal-best 122 consecutive weeks there.
Although Djokovic’s private file streak is simply 122 weeks, from July 2014 to November 2016, he won’t ever match the German’s 186-week run on the prime of the ladies’s charts — from August 1987 to March 1991.
Only 28 gamers have ever held the highest rank within the ATP Rankings’ historical past, together with Djokovic. For the eighth time in a row (he additionally received the title in 2011-12, 2014-15, 18 and 20), he concluded the yr as the highest participant.
Graf, who first reached the highest of the feminine rankings in 1987, completed her profession with 107 victories, together with 22 Grand Slam titles.
