Tennis
Daniil Medvedev has also officially led the ATP world rankings since Monday. The 26-year-old Russian is the 27th player to top the rankings since the inception. Last year’s US Open winner and this year’s Australian Open finalist replaces the 34-year-old Novak Djokovic and thus ensures a generational change. The Serb has been at the top for a record total of 361 weeks.
Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have shared the top position in the world rankings since 2004, and Medvedev has now broken through this phalanx. After Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin, he is the third Russian at the top of the ranking. “Of course I’m happy that I became number one. That’s been my goal since I was young and especially lately,” Medvedev said.
Djokovic surprisingly lost in the quarter-finals to the Czech Jiri Vesely 4: 6 6: 7 (4/7) at the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai, which meant that “Djoker”, who was excluded from the Australian Open in January due to his lack of CoV vaccination, lost the tennis throne had to vacate. “He deserves to be number one,” Djokovic said a few days ago about his potential successor as number one. “If it happens this week, I’ll be the first to congratulate him.”
Medvedev was eliminated by eventual tournament winner Nadal in the semifinals of last week’s ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco. Nadal won his 91st title on the ATP tour by winning in Acapulco and has been unbeaten in 15 matches in 2022. In the world rankings he passed the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and is now fourth. Dominic Thiem is in 51st position.
