Novak Djokovic’s class has been a roller coaster this year. In July, Carlos Alcaraz’s sponsor Nike said that Novak Djokovic was finished and tennis was now in the Alcaraz era. But since then, the 36-year-old star has yet to lose a game with an impressive 18-0 record, winning three titles (the US Open, the Cincinnati Open, and the Paris Masters) along the way. Djokovic now sits in the no. 1 position with 1,490 points ahead of the Spaniard seating in no. 2.
The Serbian star recently won a milestone 40th Masters title at the Rolex Paris Masters and his 97th overall title after defeating Grigor Dimitrov in final.
Djokovic needs only one criterion fulfillment
By winning his 7th Rolex Paris Masters title, Novak Djokovic has now increased his lead over Carlos Alcaraz to 1,490 points in the race for the year-end No. 1 spot. Novak Djokovic presently has 9,945 points and Alcaraz 8,455 points, putting the Serbian star in the position of finishing the year as No. 1 for a record-extending eighth time.
Alcaraz’s bid to become No. 1 by year-end would be if he wins the ATP Finals in Turin undefeated, which would earn him 1500 points, and if Djokovic doesn’t win a single match in the tournament. Alcaraz would then go on top with a ten-point lead. But if Djokovic wins just one match at the ATP Finals and Carlos Alcaraz loses just one game, then Djokovic will be year-end no. 1 for a record eight times.
After the victory in the Paris-Bercy final, Novak Djokovic said it’s impossible to always be at your best; you have to accept the circumstances and fight to survive: “People expect you to always be at your best, to reach finals, in my case. I am flattered that it is like this, that people see me as one of the main favorites in each tournament, but at the same time, we are people who have to face different issues off the court, whether in health, emotions, or whatever happens in your private life.
“All of this has an effect on how you feel on the court. I have tried to do my best under the circumstances. Have I played my best tennis? I don’t believe it. I haven’t played at the level I usually do in big tournaments. You have to accept the circumstances & fight to survive every day.”
Meanwhile, with Grigor Dimitrov reaching the Paris Masters final and beating Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas before falling to a defeat against Djokovic, the Bulgarian has risen from no. 17 to no. 14. And this is the first time since November 4th, 2018 that Dimitrov will end the year in the top 15.
Djokovic title wins this year
Novak Djokovic lifted six titles this season out of a possible seven. The Serbian began the year by winning the ATP Adelaide Outdoor event as good preparation ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne. The 36-year-old star got the start he needed when he won the Australian Open for the record tenth time.
At Roland Garros, he produced a resilient display to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas and win his 23rd Grand Slam title, surpassing Rafael Nadal’s 22 Slam record. His first defeat came at the Wimbledon championship, when the tennis star lost to Carlos Alcaraz in an epic five-set final that lasted for four hours, thirty-three minutes.
The Serbian got his revenge in August, as he defeated the Spanish youngster in the Cincinnati Open. He won his 24th Grand Slam title after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final in New York. Djokovic won his 40th ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Paris Masters.
Will Djokovic be able to finish 2023 in the top? Make sure to tell us in the comments section.
