Novak Djokovic set to see No 1 reign come to an end
As one of the most dominant tennis players of all-time, Novak Djokovic is used to having fans onside. Tennis is a sport where the greats are appreciated for what they can do on the court as much as anything else. However, recent years has seen fans of the sport pay more attention to the ‘off the court’ actions of the players who make up the tour. And for Djokovic, it is fair to say that recent times have been somewhat controversial for the uber-talented Serbian.
The biggest issue for Djokovic has been around his status as a vaccinated member of the ATP tour. The discussion has gone on for months with little clarity one way or another, until the Australian Open. With Australia demanding that all athletes arriving in the country met a specific vaccination status, Djokovic arrived with a cloud hanging over his head. What transpired was one of the most highly dramatic off-court tennis moments in recent memory, with the Serb eventually having his access to the country – and thus the tournament – taken away, and then facing deportation.
However, what has been a trying period away from the court has still seen Djokovic perform to a high standard when he has been permitted to play. That being said, his performances and the number of matches missed has done little to help him retain his position as the world number one in the men’s tennis tour. It now looks almost certain that Djokovic will lose his No. 1 spot, with the spot likely passing over to one of the other players on the tour – most likely to be Daniil Medvedev.
The deportation from Australia meant that, by not playing, Djokovic missed out on key ranking points to stay as the No. 1 for the sport.
Why will Novak Djokovic lose his No. 1 spot?
The main reason comes down to the calendar. On the 21st February, the previous Australian Open – which Djokovic won, claiming his ninth title in Australia – will no longer count towards ranking points and position. this will see Djokovic lose a whopping 2,000 ranking points. Medvedev, though, will also lose 1,200 points from his own record for the same reason. This will leave both performers more or less neck and neck with regards to their court performance.
The duo will be playing for the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments in the near future, with around 1,000 ranking points open for the winner. Djokovic might play in the ATP 500 event in Dubai coming up, whilst Medvedev is also expected to play in the ATP event held in Rotterdam which is worth around 500 points.
This means that Djokovic could lose his ranking spot come the 21st February when the new rankings are counted up. If Medvedev can win any of the other events before then, and Djokovic plays even slightly off his usual pace, we could see a new No. 1 announced by the end of this month.
