Daniil Medvedev becomes ATP number one, replaces Novak Djokovic
After the latest ATP rankings update Daniil Medvedev has officially overtaken Novak Djokovic to become world number one for the very first time.
The US Open champion has capped Djokovic at 361 total weeks as world number one for the time being as he looks ahead to defending his place at the top of the men’s game.
He leads the 20-time Slam champion by 150 ranking points after the Serb went out in the quarter-finals of Dubai while Medvedev got one step further in Acapulco, losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal in a rematch of their Australian Open final.
The shift comes just two weeks shy of a year since Medvedev first made a serious push to become world number one by claiming the number two spot for the very first time.
On 15th March last year, after claiming the Marseille Open, the Russian became the first man besides Roger Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray, known collectively as the ‘Big Four’, to occupy second in the ATP rankings since Lleyton Hewitt more than 15 years earlier in July 2005.
Now, Medvedev has ended an even longer ranking streak by becoming the first man outside the ‘Big Four’ to top the ATP rankings since Andy Roddick on 2nd February 2004, more than 18 years ago.
To put that kind of dominance into perspective, the Russian was just seven years old at that time.
In addition, the 26-year-old is just the third Russian to become ATP world number one and the first since Marat Safin last held the ranking on 22nd April 2001, nearly 21 years ago.
With a break in the ATP calendar now upon the tour as Davis Cup takes over, Medvedev can sit comfortably at number one until at least Indian Wells on 10th March.
In fact, with Djokovic a major doubt to play either of the ‘Sunshine Double’ of the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Masters, Medvedev could have the chance to continue building on his lead over the 34-year-old by playing those events.
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