In the realm of sports, the former number 7 in the world draws a comparison between three of the most outstanding athletes in history. Novak Djokovic, Lionel Messi, and Michael Jordan are considered legends in their respective fields.
At the age of 36, Djokovic continues to dominate the ATP Tour rankings and holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles. With an impressive 24 Major victories under his belt, there is no doubt that he has the potential to add even more to his collection.
Although he was unable to defend his title at the recent tournament, Djokovic displayed incredible resilience by reaching the semifinals despite being sick for three weeks during the Australian Open. This serves as a testament to his unwavering drive, passion, and talent for tennis.
Approaching his 37th birthday, Djokovic remains as fit as the younger players on the Tour. In fact, during the 2023 Wimbledon, he boldly stated that “36 is the new 26.” He has made it clear that he will not retire until the younger generation proves their superiority on the court.
While Djokovic can attribute his remarkable fitness to a change in diet and training regimen, few players his age can boast of such achievements. French veteran, whose name is not mentioned, expressed his admiration for Djokovic’s exceptional physical condition and his ability to continue dominating the sport.
The former number 7 player showered Djokovic with praise, comparing his accomplishments to those of NBA great Michael Jordan and Argentine soccer hero Lionel Messi. However, the Frenchman placed Djokovic above Messi since the soccer star no longer competes in Europe.
Djokovic’s reign as the number 1 player in the world has reached an impressive 410 weeks, surpassing any other man in ATP rankings history by a staggering 100 weeks.
Currently, Djokovic holds the top spot in the ATP singles rankings with 9855 points. He is followed closely by an unnamed player at the number 2 position with 9255 points. No other player has managed to surpass the 9000-point mark this season, except for these two Grand Slam champions.
Following his departure from the Australian Open, Djokovic’s team announced his absence from the Tour for the entire month of February. This decision did not come as a complete surprise, considering the lack of premier events during that time and concerns about his fitness. Last year, Djokovic participated in the Dubai tournament, where he reached the semifinals. However, by skipping the tournament this year, he will lose 180 points.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz, whose full name is not mentioned, has a packed schedule for February. He is the defending champion at the 250-event in Buenos Aires and will also compete in Rio, where he was the runner-up last year. With only two events this month, he must defend 550 points. If he manages to win the title in Rio, he can still add 200 points to his tally.
In March, the entire Tour will be held in the United States for the Sunshine Double. Alcaraz, who won the Indian Wells title last year and reached the semifinals in Miami, will defend a total of 1650 points at the two Masters-1000 events.
Djokovic will make his long-awaited return to competition for the first time since 2019. As a result, he has no points to defend until the Golden Swing begins. With an impressive 40 Masters titles to his name, the most by any male player, Djokovic has a significant opportunity to widen the gap at the top and maintain his position as the world’s number 1.