Novak Djokovic holds the record for the most weeks at world No. 1 but he has revealed extending that statistic is not his goal this season.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion set another record recently. Djokovic is now the oldest world No. 1 in the history of the ATP rankings, which is a testament to his incredible longevity and the hard work he has put in.
Despite this, some think the Serbian is about to be replaced by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the summit of men's tennis. Recently, Djokovic was warned that he is older and slower now amid the rise of those younger players.
Regardless, it does not seem like Djokovic is reflecting too much on being the oldest No. 1 player. In fact, the rankings are not one of his primary concerns for the 2024 season.
In an interview with Sky Sport Italia ahead of the Monte-Carlo Masters, Djokovic not only said that his ranking is not his goal this season but mentioned how long it could be until Sinner is the world No. 1.
"I am happy to be in Monte Carlo, which has been my home for over 15 years, even if I haven’t played my best tennis in recent years. It’s a matter of weeks before Sinner becomes world No 1. This year the ranking is not my goal."
It is fascinating that Djokovic states it could be weeks rather than months or years until Sinner becomes the world No. 1. This could indicate that Djokovic is not planning to play too many tournaments to prioritize events like the Olympics, with some thinking he could even skip Wimbledon this year.
Djokovic may also just not be feeling confident. As he said in the quote, he has not played his best tennis in recent years in Monte-Carlo. In addition, Djokovic has not started the season as well as in previous years.
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