Tennis
Novak Djokovic loses his throne in Dubai
(Dubai) Missed return for Novak Djokovic in Dubai: the Serb, beaten in the quarter-finals of the tournament by the Czech Jiri Vesely, will give up his world number 1 spot on Monday to Russian Daniil Medvedev.
Dominated in two sets 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), by 123and world player, Djokovic will therefore not have succeeded in finding the courts with a title at stake, a month after his expulsion from Australia where he had not been able to defend his chances in the Grand Slam, not being vaccinated against the COVID-19. In his enforced absence from Melbourne, Rafael Nadal had won a 21and major trophy, unheard of for men, then surpassing his rivals Federer and Djokovic by one unit in the prize list.
The 34-year-old Serb had already won the trophy five times in the United Arab Emirates but was only playing his first tournament since December and a loss in the Davis Cup semi-finals in Madrid with Serbia ahead of Croatia.
Upon his arrival in Dubai, where a vaccine was not compulsory to play, “Djoko” did not even have his destiny in hand to retain the place of world number 1 than the Russian Medvedev, finalist of the last Australian Open, will therefore delight him on Monday when the new ATP ranking is made official thanks to his qualification for the quarter-finals in Acapulco, a tournament played simultaneously with that of Dubai.
For the first time since 2004, the ATP throne will therefore escape one of the members of the “Big 4”, namely Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
The Serb will have taken the record for weeks spent at the top of the men’s tennis hierarchy to 361, before Medvedev took it.
Medvedev, for his part, will become the third Russian number 1 in the world after Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin.
The last player outside the “Big 4” to have been number 1 at the ATP is the American Andy Roddick… the 1er February 2004.
“Need new faces”
Vesely, who came from qualifying, has won five games in Dubai since the start of the week, to reach his first semi-final on the main circuit since the Pune tournament in 2020.
“I really didn’t think I had a chance against Novak, he’s one of the best players of all time, maybe the best. After everything I went through last year, it’s unbelievable, I can’t even tell you how I feel,” he said.
“We have a new world number 1, it’s also good for tennis. Novak loses his place but that does not take away from what he has done, tennis needs new faces, a new generation, ”added Vesely, 28, who will then face Denis Shapovalov or Ricardas Berankis.
Vesely broke his opponent from the start, before losing his advantage when the Serb returned to the charge.
But relying on an impeccable serve, the Czech regained the lead and won the first set after 47 minutes.
In the second set, Vesely broke again in game seven, but faltered as he served for the win, giving Djokovic the opportunity to come back at 5-5.
Pushed to the decisive game, the 123and world quickly led 3-0 in the tiebreaker, to finally win in two hours one of the best victories of his career, against the five-time winner of the tournament.
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Sophia Jhon is a sports journalist and author. He has worked as a news editor for Sportish and is now a sport columnist for the same publication. Alberta’s professional interests lie largely in sports news, with an emphasis on English football. He has also written articles on other sporting topics.