Novak Djokovic sets tennis’s record for most weeks at world number one

According to the BBC on Monday, Novak Djokovic of Belgrade, Serbia, the world’s number one ranked tennis player, has now set the tennis record (men’s and women’s tennis) for the most career weeks at world number one with 378. Steffi Graf of Germany held the old record with 377 weeks.

Djokovic moved back to world number one since winning the 2023 Australian Open in January. He was ranked first in the world the first time from July 4, 2011 to July 8, 2012. After Roger Federer took over the number one spot for four months in 2012, Djokovic returned there from November 5, 2012 to October 6, 2013.

Djokovic has been first in the world on four other occasions prior to January of this year. He was the world number one from 122 straight weeks from July 7, 2014 to November 6, 2016, 52 straight weeks from November 5, 2018 to November 3, 2019, 86 straight weeks before and after the coronavirus pandemic, and 12 straight weeks from March 21 to June 12 of last year.

Graf, like Djokovic, was world number one in tennis on seven separate occasions. In women’s tennis, she was first in the world for a record 186 straight weeks from August 17, 1987 to March 10, 1991, one week from August 5-11, 1991, three straight weeks from August 19, 1991 to September 8, 1991, 87 straight weeks from June 7, 1993 to February 5, 1993, one week from February 20 to 26, 1995, and 94 straight weeks from June 12, 1995 to March 30, 1997.

In all there have been 28 players ranked number one in the world in men’s tennis. Federer is second all-time among men in weeks at number one with 310. The Swiss legend also has the men’s tennis record for most consecutive weeks at number one with 237.

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