ATP Tour
Novak Djokovic has been a constant figurehead at the top of the ATP Tour in the past two decades. The 38-year-old Serbian has broken the record for the oldest No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and most weeks at No. 1 (428), while he has won 100 tour-level titles.
But let’s rewind to 4 July 2011, when Djokovic climbed to No. 1 for the first time. In a period when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were at the top of the game, Djokovic successfully became the disruptor after a year-long succession of standout results.
The then-23-year-old ended 2010 by winning the title in Beijing and reaching finals at the US Open and in Basel. Starting 2011 as the World No. 3, Djokovic’s form took off. He won 43 consecutive matches, including two victories at the Davis Cup in November 2010, and did not lose a match until the semi-finals at Roland Garros, where he was beaten by Federer.
His run of 43 consecutive wins is the fourth-best streak in history, only bettered by Bjorn Borg (49), Guillermo Vilas (46) and Ivan Lendl (44). In that time, the Serbian lifted seven trophies, including his second major at the Australian Open and ATP Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome. By triumphing in Indian Wells and Miami, Djokovic also became just the seventh man to complete the Sunshine Double – a feat he would achieve again in 2014, 15’ and 16’.
When Djokovic arrived at Wimbledon in June, he was No. 2 and closing in on World No. 1 Nadal. The Serbian knew that a run to the final at SW19 would guarantee his rise to No. 1 for the first time, but could he do it? The answer was an emphatic yes.
He dropped just two sets en route to the semi-finals in London, where he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to advance to his maiden Wimbledon final and importantly, guarantee his rise to No. 1 on the following Monday. In the title match, Djokovic underlined his status as the best player in the world with a four-set victory against Nadal. It marked the first of seven Wimbledon titles that the Serbian has won.
Djokovic held No. 1 for 53 weeks in his first stint, the fourth-best of all time behind Roger Federer (237 weeks), Jimmy Connors (160 weeks) and Lleyton Hewitt (75 weeks).
Learn more about the ATP No. 1 Club.
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