"Novak Djokovic's World No. 1 record may stand as his single most impressive" - ATP boss Andrea Gaudenzi
Novak Djokovic has broken Roger Federer's record of most weeks spent as World No. 1, and on Monday several high-profile tennis personalities congratulated the Serb on his historic achievement. Now, ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has also praised Djokovic for having clocked 311 weeks at the top spot of the ATP rankings.
The Italian first hailed Novak Djokovic's other achievements, before going on to surmise that the record for most weeks as World No. 1 might go down as the 33-year-old's most significant record.
"Novak Djokovic’s many achievements in tennis are nothing short of extraordinary," Andrea Gaundezi said. "Among them this record may stand as his single most impressive."
Novak Djokovic has redefined the levels of sustained excellence in our sport: ATP boss Andrea Gaudenzi
Over the last few years, Novak Djokovic has well and truly made the top ranking his personal property. Out of the total of 311 weeks that the Serb has spent as the World No. 1, 88 have come after he has turned 30.
In comparison, Roger Federer accrued a large part of his tally in his peak years; the Swiss spent just 25 weeks as the World No. 1 after the age of 30.
What makes Novak Djokovic's accomplishment even more special is the fact that he has managed to sustain his level despite the arrival of the Next Gen players. In that context, Andrea Gaudenzi claimed that Djokovic's feat is a testament to how he has redefined tennis with his consistent excellence over the years.
"Reaching No. 1 is something many players dream of and very few ever accomplish, and to have held the top spot for longer than anyone is testament to the levels of sustained excellence that Novak has redefined in our sport," Gaudenzi said.
Novak Djokovic is expected to continue his reign atop the rankings for the foreseeable future, as there is a huge difference between him and World No. 2 Rafael Nadal right now. Considering that Djokovic is the favorite to win Wimbledon and the US Open this year, the Serb will be optimistic about pumping his record tally even more.
On the other hand, Nadal will gain no additional points if he wins Roland Garros this year. The Spaniard will have to push for titles outside clay too if he intends to unseat the Serb from the top, which seems difficult considering he will turn 35 this year.