Djokovic chances of returning to #1?
- Thread starter James P
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nolefam_2024
Bionic Poster
Lol wtf
BauerAlmeida
Hall of Fame
He is not going back to #1 but he is not finished.
malbaker86
Hall of Fame
Wont say its over until he retires
Djokovic2011
Bionic Poster
Nope, that's it but what an incredible 13 years it's been. He didn't just break Federer's record, he completely obliterated it.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Even you know it is not going to happen since he consistently misses tournaments and basically has switched off from best of three.
Look at the effort he put into this RG and compare it to his lackluster best of thee matches this year.
I think as long as Sinner is as consistent as he's been on hard courts lately, the threshold will probably be too high for Novak. He just won't play enough tournaments – he'd have to win every single one. If Sinner and Alcaraz are both in a bit of a rougher patch at the same time, though, it's not inconceivable. I doubt Novak has a year like 2023 again, winning three slams, the WTF, and two Masters, but if he gets back to full health he can still compete for the biggest titles and possibly win enough of them to make number one again for at least a short stint.
My gut is no, he doesn't make it, this is the last time he'll be ranked number one, but it wouldn't shock me if he manages it a year or two from now.
My gut is no, he doesn't make it, this is the last time he'll be ranked number one, but it wouldn't shock me if he manages it a year or two from now.
It is difficult but I am not ruling it out . Djokovic has done so many unthinkables
MeatTornado
Talk Tennis Guru
Even before this meniscus injury I figured this would be it for him at #1.
He's clearly picking his spots more than ever, and he can't keep relying on winning 2-3 slams every year to maintain #1 with Alcaraz and Sinner starting to become so consistent across multiple surfaces now.
He's clearly picking his spots more than ever, and he can't keep relying on winning 2-3 slams every year to maintain #1 with Alcaraz and Sinner starting to become so consistent across multiple surfaces now.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
He has said that he doesn't have the drive to be world number one anymore as that would mean being away from his family even more, and he isn't doing that. Heck, even last year post USO, he gave Alcaraz an open shot to take the world number one ranking by not playing China, because he wanted to be with his kids as they started school after the summer vacation.
He is not going to fight for it anymore....slams, sure, if he recovers.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
He's already older than they were then....forgot that he is the oldest world number one in history? I'm sure you didn't...
Frenchy-Player
Hall of Fame
He doesn't care about becoming number one again, several months ago he said that Sinner would be number one sooner or later, at this stage of his career only the GCs or what he hasn't won yet like the games Olympics interests him
He has always tried to do one better. That is how he is driven.
Djokovic will fight for majors and YEC. That alone may get him to No 1.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
But he has done better....he became oldest year ending number one, and oldest world number one. Why does he NEED to break his own record again?
Djokovic will fight for slams, but he would need to have perfection multiple times, and he is the oldest RG and USO champion of all time. That doesn't mean he will try to get number one, as I said, he gave Carlos a free shot to take it, and he failed. Novak will only reduce his schedule even more, as his body will have more wear and tear.
lidoazndiabloboi
Hall of Fame
Djokovic has a lot of points to lose on the 2nd half of the season. If he can replicate those results, then he would have a shot at reclaiming #1 in the front half of 2025. But the likelihood is very very slim IMO. Sinner on the other hand, has room to gain a lot of points on the back half 2024, to increase his lead on Djokovic. We might also see Alcaraz fall a couple spots in the ranking till US Open, then with a chance to regain more points at the end of the season.
ojo rojo
Legend
celito
Professional
That's as silly a take as this is:
Nationalists and conspiracy theorists go hand in hand.
Lauren_Girl'
Hall of Fame
In 2021 he beat Federer's 310 weeks made it crystal clear being #1 wasn't a goal anymore. His only goal is winning Slams and if he is number #1 that's a bonus. But he isn't chasing it anymore. He gladly takes any additional week but he doesn't care if he loses it, as long as he's still competitive for Slams.
Remember his attitude last year after he won USO. Alcaraz was very close to him. Yet he withdrew from Beijing and Shanghaï. He was offered a wild-card in Vienna and he refused it. Even though he got the YE-#1 at the end, he was ready to hand it to Alcaraz on a silver platter. That's how much he does (not) care about it since he beat Federer's record.
If he wins 3 Slams in 2025 (you can't rule that out with him) he might still have a shot but most likely no. He will try to win Slam 25 (maybe more) and I still think he's co-favorite of every slams he'll play in the next 2 years. But for the number 1 ranking, it's probably over. And I'm 100% okay with this. He didn't need to beat Graf's record but he did. He didn't need to DOUBLE Nadal's number of weeks, but he did. He has put 117 (more than 2 years) weeks between himself and Federer.
He would already have 460+ weeks it it weren't for covid and war, let's not forget it. He was robbed of 24 weeks in 2020 (frozen ranking between March and August) and 18 weeks between Wimbledon 2022 and Wimbledon 2023 (-2000 in Wimbledon 2022). The player (whoever it is) who beats this record and gets 430 weeks will be reminded these facts.
Remember his attitude last year after he won USO. Alcaraz was very close to him. Yet he withdrew from Beijing and Shanghaï. He was offered a wild-card in Vienna and he refused it. Even though he got the YE-#1 at the end, he was ready to hand it to Alcaraz on a silver platter. That's how much he does (not) care about it since he beat Federer's record.
If he wins 3 Slams in 2025 (you can't rule that out with him) he might still have a shot but most likely no. He will try to win Slam 25 (maybe more) and I still think he's co-favorite of every slams he'll play in the next 2 years. But for the number 1 ranking, it's probably over. And I'm 100% okay with this. He didn't need to beat Graf's record but he did. He didn't need to DOUBLE Nadal's number of weeks, but he did. He has put 117 (more than 2 years) weeks between himself and Federer.
He would already have 460+ weeks it it weren't for covid and war, let's not forget it. He was robbed of 24 weeks in 2020 (frozen ranking between March and August) and 18 weeks between Wimbledon 2022 and Wimbledon 2023 (-2000 in Wimbledon 2022). The player (whoever it is) who beats this record and gets 430 weeks will be reminded these facts.
Djokovic_is_the_best#1
Bionic Poster
Nope. He’s done! Went out in a blaze of glory though
NAS
Hall of Fame
He did the same in 2021 also, he needed few points but he decided not to play Miami and Vienna and gave Med free paas
tennis_pro
Bionic Poster
I think the chance is very slim. It's not like he needs to, though.
pirhaksar
Professional
Dumb conspiracy theories no better the roof idiots in here. Conditions were not great and Novak complained, yes, but they were same for everyone. Everything is a conspiracy if things don’t your way.. what thinking.That's as silly a take as this is:
NAS
Hall of Fame
I think 426 or 428
nolefam_2024
Bionic Poster
428
a10best
Legend
24 Grand Slam men's singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles. Overall, he has won 98 singles titles.
10 is remarkable at any slam event. He holds so many records except these and a few others.
Most men's singles titles
Connors - 109
Federer - 103
Djokovic - 98
He has to come back to win at least 2 tournaments to make 100. I think Fed and Jimmy's records are safe.
Most men's singles matches won:
Connors - 1274
Federer - 1251
Djokovic - 1105
Not achievable. Fed and Jimmy are safe.
10 is remarkable at any slam event. He holds so many records except these and a few others.
Most men's singles titles
Connors - 109
Federer - 103
Djokovic - 98
He has to come back to win at least 2 tournaments to make 100. I think Fed and Jimmy's records are safe.
Most men's singles matches won:
Connors - 1274
Federer - 1251
Djokovic - 1105
Not achievable. Fed and Jimmy are safe.
pirhaksar
Professional
That’s like 8 years. Unfreakinbelievable…what a player!
clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
If he keeps playing, he will probably play a very limited calendar - Slams and a few warmup tournaments. So, I doubt he can get to #1 again. More chance to have a last hurrah Slam win than to rack up #1 points during a year.
N01E
Hall of Fame
Vincent-C
Legend
Colorful dialect.
InsideInForehand
Rookie
That Pavvy guy is crazy. He wanted to do a whole police investigation for the bottle incident as well.That's as silly a take as this is:
He does not have anything left to prove .
But when he plays , he plays for the title . And he will play the 5 big tournaments and that alone can put him in contention .
Hitman
Bionic Poster
That I agree with.
Sadly, NO. Even without this serious injury he was going to lose his #1 ranking, forever when this tournament was over. A 37-year-old body can't play enough to maintain a #1 ranking, especially with the type of game Novak and Rafa play.
Razer
G.O.A.T.
Federer returned when there was a vacuum in tennis regarding talents in their 20s, today Sinner is at his peak and so now the bar will be higher to reach for someone like Novak who at 38 cannot chase something like 12,000 points.
Secondly, Fed was 35.5 when he returned ...Novak will be close to 38.
TripleATeam
G.O.A.T.
Probably finished. There might be a de facto stint at the top if not de jure. I could see him winning 2 slams but barely anything else, and still not reaching #1 despite being the best in the world by level of play - though even that doesn't seem likely.
For him to reach #1 again, it would take Sinner and Alcaraz both being out of form for an extended period at the same time. If that happens, I could see him pull a few more weeks. But no more than 20 for sure.
For him to reach #1 again, it would take Sinner and Alcaraz both being out of form for an extended period at the same time. If that happens, I could see him pull a few more weeks. But no more than 20 for sure.
inflation_era
Professional
Favourite for USO. Maybe even Wimbledon, we shall see.
jm1980
Talk Tennis Guru
VB classy as always
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