It’s historic that Novak Djokovic is finishing off his 419th week as the world’s top seed! Roger Federer’s record was broken on Sunday when Novak, at 36 years and 321 days, became the oldest player in the world’s top rankings. As the oldest player to do so at 36 years and 320 days, the Swiss spent his 310th and final week on the ATP tour in June 2018.
For the past several years, Djokovic has become a guy to beat; he concentrates on the biggest occasions and plays his best tennis when it counts most. Despite failing to win an ATP championship, the Serb closed off the previous season at the top and has remained there through the first three months of 2024.
As a result, Novak set a record that will be difficult to top in the years to come.
2023 ATP Finals: Novak Djokovic © Clive Brunskill / Staff
It’s possible that Djokovic will lose the ATP title to Jannik Sinner in the next two months, but after winning eight year-end no.
becoming the oldest player to hold the ATP throne after more than 400 no. 1 weeks and 1 season. Since July 2011, when he was 24 years old, Novak has dominated the ATP ranking list. He has spent more than eight years at the top and has managed to keep younger opponents behind him even after turning 36.
Since February 2020, Djokovic has dominated the ATP rankings, only briefly relinquishing his position to Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz before continually rising to the occasion. After resigning from the top spot in June 2022 and disappearing for 36 weeks, the Serb began the 2023 season in second place, just behind Alcaraz.
Up until September, when Novak overcame Carlos’ resistance to earn another year-end no. 1 ranking at 36, the two competitors fought it out for the ATP crown. With seven ATP trophies—three Majors from four finals, two Masters 1000 titles, and the ATP Finals—Djokovic had an incredible season that demonstrated his unstoppable class!
Before skipping Indian Wells and Miami, Novak celebrated defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas to win his eleventh Australian Open title. Just in time for Roland Garros, the Serbian upped his game on clay, winning the 23rd Major title and permanently surpassing Rafael Nadal!
Djokovic, who has won four straight victories in London since 2018, set his sights on the third Major triumph at Wimbledon!
Australian Open 2024: Novak Djokovic / Daniel Pockett / Stringer – Getty Images Athletic
The oldest world no. 1 player in ATP history is Novak Djokovic.
The young gun remained in the running for the ATP title despite the Serb’s five-set defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the championship match. In that thrilling Cincinnati final, Djokovic overcame Alcaraz, gaining momentum that he carried to New York.
At the US Open, Novak overcame Laslo Djere in two sets to win his 24th Major title, improving his record and ending Carlos’s run of resistance. At the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals, Djokovic amassed 2300 ATP points, capping out the season in spectacular fashion and gaining an edge over his inexperienced rivals.
Despite losing to Luca Nardi and Jannik Sinner in 2024, Novak has not yet won an ATP title. He is looking for a better season on clay.
Australian Open 2024’s Novak Djokovic / Julian Finney / Staff – Getty Images Athletic
The Serb’s Australian Open winning streak came to an end at 33 as he lost to Sinner in a difficult semi-final match in Melbourne, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3.
After losing to Alex de Minaur in the United Cup, Djokovic arrived in Melbourne, battling a little sickness and not playing at his best. After putting on a more consistent performance, Novak defeated Adrian Mannarino and Tomas Martin Etcheverry in four sets, as well as Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin.
After putting in a lot of effort against Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinal, Djokovic advanced to his eighth Australian Open semifinal in three hours and forty-five minutes by winning 7-6, 4-6, 6-2, and 6-3. After two and a half hours, Novak had to start over since he was unable to break Taylor in the first two sets.
In sets three and four, Djokovic established a rhythm on the return, taking Fritz’s serve four times to win the match. When Novak faced Jannik Sinner, he was unable to reach that level; he lost in four sets, setting up the young gun for the championship match.
At Majors, Djokovic committed more than fifty unintentional mistakes and refrained from taking advantage of break opportunities for the first time in his career. Sinner put on a masterful display of tennis, wasting a match point in the third set but producing five breaks that gave him the advantage.
After Australia, Novak took a vacation. He missed all of the competition in February before making a comeback to the desert to compete at Indian Wells five years later.
2023 ATP Finals: Novak Djokovic © Clive Brunskill / Staff –
In two hours and twenty minutes, Djokovic lost to the 20-year-old Italian Luca Nardi 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Djokovic did not play at his typical level against Aleksandar Vukic.
A fortunate loser defeated his idol in a match of amazing tennis, dropping the second set but regaining his composure in the championship match to win a career-best and just the fourth on the ATP tour! After taking a stomach tablet, Djokovic performed below his usual level; he did well in the second set but fell short in the final.
After giving two breaks and being broken three times, Novak scored one point more than Luca, but not the big ones. In the final, the young Italian outplayed the world no. 1 by playing aggressive tennis and trusting his skills. Novak left Goran Ivanisevic and skipped Miami with the hopes of starting again on clay in Monte Carlo.
