Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic smiles during a press conference after the screening of the documentary film about Croatian tennis legend Niki Pilic, former tennis player and former trainer of Novak Djokovic, Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic, in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 28, 2024. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has split with coach Goran Ivanisevic, ending their association that began in 2018 and included 12 Grand Slam titles for the Serbian tennis player. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
LONDON (AP) – Novak Djokovic has surpassed another tennis record once held by Roger Federer, becoming the oldest man to be ranked No. 1 in the ATP Tour’s computerized rankings.
Djokovic is 36 – he turns 37 next month – and is now older than Federer was on his last day atop the rankings in June 2018. Monday gives Djokovic 420 total weeks at that spot, extending another mark Federer (who was there for 310 weeks) had at one time before Djokovic broke it.
Djokovic’s 24 Grand Slam singles titles also are the most by a man in tennis history and the most by anyone in the Open era, which began in 1968. Federer broke Pete Sampras’ men’s record of 14 major championships and retired with 20, before Rafael Nadal (now with 22) and Djokovic overtook him.
Djokovic is entered this week in the Monte Carlo Masters clay-court tournament as he prepares to defend his title at the French Open, where play begins on May 26. It will be Djokovic’s first competitive action since he split from coach Goran Ivanisevic.
He has held onto No. 1 since returning there most recently last September after winning the U.S. Open.
Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner remained at No. 2 in Monday’s rankings, followed by Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, all in the same places as a week ago.
Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime moved up one spot to No. 35 and is the top ranked Canadian. Denis Shapovalov, of Richmond Hill, Ont., fell one spot to 122nd.
There was no movement in the WTA women’s top five, either, with Iga Swiatek at No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka at No. 2 and Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula next.
Leylah Fernandez, of Laval, Que., is the highest ranked Canadian player at No. 34. Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino dropped five spots to 161st, while 19-year-old Marina Stakusic, of Mississauga, Ont., climbed four places to No. 202.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
