Novak Djokovic Is Still Number One

Written by: Staff on 13th October 2011

Novak Djokovic Is Still Number One

Novak Djokovic of Serbia react during the World Group Davis Cup semi final tennis match against Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 September 2011. EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC |

(Courtesy of ATP) Follow link to the original story: http://www.atpworldtour.com

Novak Djokovic will finish as the No. 1 player in the year-end South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings. He is the 16th different player to finish No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings (since 1973).

World No.2 Rafael Nadal’s third-round loss at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Thursday assured the Serb of the top ranking come the end of the season.

The 24-year-old Belgrade native is the first Serbian man to finish No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings (since 1973). It also marks a record eighth straight year a European is the No. 1 player on the ATP World Tour. For seven years from 1985-91, Europeans finished No. 1.

Djokovic is the first player other than Roger Federer (2004-07, ‘09) or Rafael Nadal(2008, ’10) to finish No. 1 since American Andy Roddick in 2003.

Djokovic will be officially crowned as the year-end No. 1 at a special trophy presentation at the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London where he will be competing for a fifth straight year. The tournament takes place Nov. 20-27.

On July 4, Djokovic became No. 1 in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings for the first time after winning his first Wimbledon title. He began his outstanding season with a 41-match winning streak (43 overall back to last year). He has won a career-high 10 titles in 11 finals, including his second Australian Open and first US Open crowns.

En route to a 64-3 match record, he has captured a record five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in a season, in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome and Montreal. He has also compiled a 20-2 mark vs. Top 10 opponents, defeating rivals Nadal six times and Federer four times so far in 2011.

Between now and the end of the season, the Serb is due to play at the Basel Swiss Indoors, theBNP Paribas Masters in Paris, and the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 in London.

ATP WORLD TOUR YEAR-END NO. 1
(since 1973)

Year	Player
2011	Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
2010	Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2009	Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2008	Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2007	Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2006	Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2005	Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2004	Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2003	Andy Roddick (U.S.)
2002	Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)
2001	Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)
2000	Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil)
1999	Andre Agassi (U.S.)
1998	Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1997	Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1996	Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1995	Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1994	Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1993	Pete Sampras (U.S.)
1992	Jim Courier (U.S.)
1991	Stefan Edberg (Sweden)
1990	Stefan Edberg (Sweden)
1989	Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1988	Mats Wilander (Sweden)
1987	Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1986	Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1985	Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)
1984	John McEnroe (U.S.)
1983	John McEnroe (U.S.)
1982	John McEnroe (U.S.)
1981	John McEnroe (U.S.)
1980	Bjorn Borg (Sweden)
1979	Bjorn Borg (Sweden)
1978	Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1977	Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1976	Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1975	Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1974	Jimmy Connors (U.S.)
1973	Ilie Nastase (Romania)