‘Eventually It’s Going to Happen’ – Novak Djokovic Says Losing the Number One Ranking to Daniil Medvedev Is Inevitable

Daniil Medvedev has been a revelation of sorts over the last few years. His most memorable victory came at the US Open last year, where he defeated World Number 1 Novak Djokovic to win his maiden Grand Slam title. The Serb was on a roll the previous season, winning the other three major titles. He had a golden opportunity to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam, but the Russian decimated him in the US Open summit clash in straight sets.

Last month, Djokovic failed to defend his Australian Open title, after his deportation from Australia. Subsequently, he lost 2000 valuable ATP ranking points. He now has his Number 1 spot in danger, with Medvedev approaching him after some consistent performances. The Serb has opened up on Medvedev’s chances to overtake him in the ATP rankings.

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Novak Djokovic addresses the talk of Daniil Medvedev claiming the Number 1 spot in the ATP rankings

The Serb is in Dubai to participate in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. It will be his first tournament this season. Djokovic was asked to comment on the No. 1 scenarios this week but wasn’t fully aware of it. He said, “Either way, Daniil Medvedev deserves to be No.1. Eventually it’s going to happen. If it happens this week, I’ll be the first one to congratulate him.”

Djokovic is the top seed at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. He will take on wild-card Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the opening round. The 20-time Grand Slam champion will be the favorite to lift his first title of the season in Dubai. However, in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime might provide a stiff challenge to him. The two could potentially face each other in the semifinals.

The World No. 1 scenarios in the ATP rankings explained

Djokovic will be under threat of losing the top spot to Daniil Medvedev by next week. While the Serb is playing in Dubai, Medvedev is in Mexico to participate at the Abierto Mexicano in Acapulco. If the Russian wins the ATP 500 tournament in Mexico, he will become the 27th player to claim the top spot. Moreover, he will end the Serb’s stay at the top for a record 361 weeks in total.

However, this is not the only way by which Medvedev can claim the top spot. If the 26-year-old reaches the final in Mexico, he can claim the No. 1 ranking if Djokovic does not win the title in Dubai. Further, if the Serb loses in the Dubai semifinals, Medvedev will be World Number 1 if he reaches the Acapulco semifinals.

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It will be interesting to see who will be at the top when the ATP rankings are updated next week. Who is your pick for the No. 1 spot? Let us know your views in the comments below.