Djokovic equals Steffi Graf’s legendary record

Novak Djokovic began his week 377 as world number one in the ATP rankings on Monday, matching the feat of German WTA top-ranked Steffi Grafthe player who lasted the longest at the top of the world rankings in the entire history of tennis.

To this day, the German, who closed his career with twenty-two Grand Slam titles among the 107 trophies he lifted in his career, is the athlete who has accumulated the longest time as number one. Djokovic chased him. And in seven days, the 35-year-old Balkan will become the male and female tennis player with the most number of weeks in first place in a ranking.

Nothing threatened Steffi’s historic dominance but Djokovic settled things down. Enough to find stability in time, to find calm after the anomaly caused by the pandemic and the conditions in which his plan was subjected to the requests of each country due to virus restrictions, due to vaccines, to normalize the competitive landscape. .

Djokovic regained the number one spot on January 30, just after winning the Australian Open that this time, in 2023, he was able to overcome last year’s painful experience in Melbourne. When he was held in a hotel in the capital of Australia and later expelled from the country.

The Belgrade player who a month ago equaled Rafa Nadal as the one who achieved the most Grand Slams does not forget everything that happened in history. Twenty two each. Like Graf, she is currently just one behind American Serena Williams and two behind Australian Margaret Court, the athlete who has accumulated the most majors in her entire career.

Serbian points to the highest ever. The accomplishments of the youngest Williams and Court are within reach in a year where he still has Wimbledon and the United States Open ahead, scenarios in which he plays at will. Also Roland Garros, a field that seems limited to Rafael Nadal, the other legendary survivor of the tennis world.

Because there seems to be no one else capable of questioning the authority of these two sports giants. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune or Felix Auger Aliassime are the main threats. The men who passed through the intermediate generation, the ones formed by Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas, are not enough to topple the survivors of the big three and time is running out.

Djokovic now faces the challenge of the Grand Slam and other earrings that can fall under their own weight. As the oldest player at number one. At 35 years and eight months, he is close to Federer who was at the top for a while at the age of 36 and ten months.

The Serbian has now overtaken Graff as the athlete with the longest number one ranking. Martina Navratilova, who held 332, is long gone and so is Serena, who dominated for 319 weeks. Far away is Roger Federer, who reached 310, or Pete Sampras, who took 286. Nadal, another active, is far away. Accumulated at 209 hours.

As for overall ATP trophies, Djokovic still has work ahead of him. New challenges. The Serbian has 93 years in his career and is close to matching Lendl, who has 94. Although further away are Roger Federer who retired with 103 titles lifted and, beyond that, the American Jimmy Connors, the player who accumulated the most victories on the circuit during his career, with 109.

Djokovic regrets, however, that he does not have the popular enthusiasm that almost always motivates Nadal or the admiration that Federer has always generated during his career.. Despite being the best in history, the Balkan fan didn’t quite catch on. He doesn’t give the impression of being close to the world number one follower, who was suspected of aggravating an injury at the previous Australian Open.

Controversy accompanies him. “In the next few days I will tell everything. I decided to give a press conference“The Serb announced a few hours ago that he has pending issues, sensations to explain. Experiences to comment on.