Novak Djokovic and Steffi Graf have been, by a substantial stretch, the 2 torchbearers of the world No 1 rating of their respective males’s and ladies’s excursions. The No 1 experience of the Serb, who surged previous Graf’s report of most weeks spent on the prime on Monday by beginning his 378th week there, although differs from the German.
From the time she first obtained there in August 1987, Graf’s 377 weeks because the world’s greatest participant have been a largely choppy-free easy sail. Until 1991, she wouldn’t be displaced from there even as soon as, solely being pulled down one spot sporadically over the following few years. That was till 1997 when she went from beginning the 12 months as No 1 to ending it at 28, two seasons earlier than her retirement (because the world No 3, thoughts you).
Djokovic, in distinction, has had a extra rocky experience, which, arguably, makes his report all of the extra outstanding. The 35-year-old has been on the summit of the ATP charts throughout seven completely different stints, having to beat bodily struggles, type droop and, nicely, vaccination standing.
It explains why, though with a report seven year-end No 1 finishes, Djokovic lags three males—and Graf and Serena Williams—within the record of most consecutive weeks at No 1 that has Roger Federer (237 weeks) on the prime forward of Jimmy Connors (160) and Ivan Lendl (157).
Of his 22 Grand Slam titles, 9 have come when Djokovic hasn’t had the world No 1 tag subsequent to his identify. And on numerous these events, Djokovic has needed to win Grand Slams to grab the highest spot.
Like he did whereas strolling away with the 2023 Australian Open title final month because the official fifth-best participant of the world (though the unofficial and unanimous greatest). Like he did whereas getting into the 2011 Wimbledon, through the course of which he clinched the No 1 rating for the primary time in getting into the ultimate. There, he defeated Rafael Nadal to not solely bag a maiden Wimbledon title but in addition knock the Spaniard out from the highest after profitable all however one match and event till then.
In solely a 12 months, nevertheless, Djokovic had misplaced the No 1 spot. After profitable simply two Slams in 2012 and 2013 (each on his favorite courts of Melbourne), Djokovic reclaimed the No 1 rating from Nadal by profitable the 2014 Wimbledon and ending his Slam drought that went over a 12 months.
Solely by means of 2015 and 2016, a interval the place he gained 5 of the six Slams from the 2015 Australian Open to the 2016 French Open together with 4 on the trot, did Djokovic have an actual iron grip on No 1 mantle. It’s additionally the place he had his longest consecutive run of 122 weeks atop, between July 2014 and November 2016.
Then got here the troublesome 2017 season with these elbow points, which noticed him drop of the highest 10 rankings for the primary time in additional than a decade and into the 20s halfway by means of 2018. Then got here the colossal comeback that very 12 months, which noticed him win the Wimbledon and the US Open to get again the No 1 rating from, once more, Nadal after virtually two years. In doing so, Djokovic grew to become the primary participant since Marat Safin in 2000 to go from being outdoors the highest 20 to 1 in the identical season.
It took a record-extending eighth Australian Open title in 2020 for Djokovic to kickstart his fifth stint because the numero uno, his second-longest stretch of dominance comprising three Slams in 2021 and lasting until February 2022.
This is the place his unvaccinated standing stored him away from taking part in tournaments in addition to defending his factors, forcing a fall to No 8 in November final 12 months.
Right here’s additionally the place he actually stands out. Djokovic has managed to tug the No 1 rug from the ft of Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz—the 2 different world No 1s within the final 12 months—regardless of enjoying simply 13 tournaments for the reason that begin of the 2022 season (apart from Laver Cup). He’s gained seven of them—together with a few Slams and the year-ending ATP Finals—to focus on the upside of constant tennis (take cue, Medvedev) and a match physique (take cue, Alcaraz).
That his newest spell on the peak would come after profitable a Slam and in making a four-place transfer, the largest leap to get to the highest for the reason that rankings have been launched in 1973, typifies the Djokovic-No 1 report story. A bit rocky, rather a lot outstanding.