Madrid, Feb 27 (EFE) of the world ranking, 378 weeks already, more than anyone in the history of tennis.
With this background, settled in the normality that he lacked a year ago in full controversy with the health authorities and the requirements of the covid, the Serb extends his journey, who for the thirteenth time goes to Dubai, where he aspires to his sixth crown.
The 35-year-old Serbian surpasses Steffi Graf as the athlete with the longest time at the top since Monday. The success in Melbourne returned him to the top spot where he has remained ever since.
Novak Djokovic returns to Dubai who remembers how in 2022, after being expelled from Australia, he was able to jump on a tennis court for the first time in the season. He then he did not exceed the quarterfinals, eliminated by the Czech Jiri Vesely.
It is different in this 2023 where the Belgrade player boasts an impeccable tour. Twelve games and twelve wins. A perfect transit, without knowing defeat, which has already given him two successes. In Adelaide, after beating American Sebastian Korda in the final, and at the Australian Open, where he beat Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Even so, the Belgrade tennis player is pending the definitive normalization of the situation and the circuit. His participation in the United States tour, like last year, is still up in the air. And it is that the US authorities extended until May the obligation for foreign visitors to be vaccinated against covid.
A mystery, therefore, the participation in the Masters 1000 of Indian Wells and Miami that was already lost in 2022 and that is at the expense of a special authorization that the player requested from the North American authorities.
After passing through Dubai and what happens with the North American tour, Djokovic then points to the gravel season which, as happened last year, will begin in Monte Carlo. Belgrade, Madrid, Rome are other events where the Serbian whose challenge is Roland Garros was seen. And it is that among the challenges that the number one in the world envisions is the conquest of the Grand Slam, the four greats in the same course.
With Rafael Nadal out of circulation and with doubts about his physical condition, and the lack of reliability and non-regularity of the components of future generations, the prospect of being the first player in the Open Era to obtain this achievement increases. He already has the first one in his pocket. Wimbledon is tailor-made for him and no one is as solvent as him for success on grass. The land of Paris, with the Spanish in the middle, is unknown. But in the midst of the challenge of becoming the player with the most major titles in tennis history, he contemplates the challenge of the Grand Slam.
The Serb has already surpassed Graff as the athlete who has been at number one the longest. Gone long ago was Martina Navratilova, who held 332 and also Serena, who came to dominate for 319 weeks. Further away are Roger Federer, who reached 310, or Pete Sampras, who lasted 286. Nadal, the other one who is still active, is far away. He accumulated at the time 209.
As for the overall ATP trophies, Djokovic still has work ahead of him. New challenges. The Serbian who in Dubai intends to equal Lendl, with 94, has 93 years in his career. Although more distant is Roger Federer who retired with 103 titles lifted and beyond, still, the American Jimmy Connors, the player who accumulated the most successes in the circuit during his career, with 109.
The next tournaments will extend the heads-up of the Serbian with Carlos Alcaraz, apparently the most reliable pursuer on the circuit. The Spaniard returned after months of injury and conquered Buenos Aires and was a finalist in Rio.
The bidding, with the race for the top tight and with no difference in points, will continue in the following events. Djokovic will go to Dubai and Alcaraz, who last September became the youngest player in history to reach number one in the world, will go to Acapulco.
santiago aparicio
