Novak rewrites tennis history, setting another record of his extraordinary career.
Tennis great Novak Djokovic has now spent 311 weeks at no.1 – the most ever for any player on the ATP Tour in the 48-year history of the FedEx ATP Rankings.
The Serbian star, who captured his ninth Australian Open title and 18th Grand Slam trophy last month, also holds a record of 36 ATP Masters 1000 crowns.
Novak started his reign as world no.1 on July 4, 2011, one day after winning his first Wimbledon title. His fifth and current streak began on February 3, 2020.
Stints at no.1
4 July 2011-8 July 2012
5 November 2012-6 October 2013
7 July 2014-6 November 2016
5 November 2018-3 November 2019
3 February 2020-present*
Djokovic is one of 26 players in the history of the FedEx ATP Rankings to hold the top spot. He finished 2020 as year-end no.1 for the sixth time (also 2011-12, 2014-15 and 2018), tying the record of Pete Sampras.
“It really excites me to walk the path of legends and giants of this sport. To know that I earned my place among them by following my childhood dream is a beautiful confirmation that when you do things out of love and passion, everything is possible,” Novak said.
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said of the ocassion: “Novak’s many achievements in tennis are nothing short of extraordinary. Among them this record may stand as his single most impressive. Reaching no.1 is something many players dream of and very few ever accomplish, and to have held the top spot for longer than anyone is testament to the levels of sustained excellence that Novak has redefined in our sport.”
Here is the list of male players with the longest reigns as world no.1 in the ATP rankings:
1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 311 weeks
2. Roger Federer (SUI) 310 weeks
3. Pete Sampras (USA) 286 weeks
4. Ivan Lendl (CZE) 270 weeks
5. Jimmy Connors (USA) 268 weeks
6. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 209 weeks
7. John McEnroe (USA) 170 weeks
8. Bjorn Borg (SWE) 109 weeks
9. Andre Agassi (USA) 101 weeks
10. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 80 weeks
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