Novak Djokovic has only played one tournament during this year's clay swing so far, but he is guaranteed to keep his No. 1 ranking until the end of Roland Garros.
The Serb has not lifted his racket since a semi-final defeat to Casper Ruud in Monte Carlo in mid-April. Djokovic withdrew from this year's Madrid Open and will only play the Italian Open, the last big tournament before Roland Garros.
Remarkably, Djokovic could end the month as the biggest winner of the European clay swing, possibly winning his 41st Masters. He is now assured of retaining the No. 1 ranking.
He will celebrate his 37th birthday (on May 22nd) while at the summit of men's tennis, extending his record of being the oldest World No. 1 in ATP history.
His main rivals, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Danil Medvedev, are currently battling physical issues before the French Open. Sinner (hip injury) and Alcaraz (forearm injury) have already pulled out from the upcoming Italian Open in Rome.
Djokovic, who has secured top seeding at the clay Slam later this month, will remain World No. 1 until June 9th. There is a possibility he might extend his stay depending on how he performs in Rome and Roland Garros.
Sinner has emerged as his direct challenger for the No. 1 ranking after a career-best season in 2024, which included victories at the Australian Open, Rotterdam, and Miami. He was on course to dethrone the Serb from top spot, but injuries in recent weeks have slowed him down.
Djokovic, for his part, is still looking to end his trophyless start to 2024, which is threatening to become his longest title drought in a season. The longest he had gone before winning his first tournament of any season was in 2018, when he endured six and half months of famine before he won Wimbledon.
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