Novak Djokovic guaranteed to remain ATP World No.1 until April 1

Carlos Alcaraz’s exit from Rio Open due to injury has made this possible.

Novak Djokovic will remain the top-ranked player on the ATP tour until at least April 1. The Serb had a disappointing start to the season, losing to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open finals. Djokovic’s reign at the top of the ATP Rankings will now extend to a mammoth 418 weeks, exactly double that of the 209 weeks Rafael Nadal has spent as the World No. 1.

The exit of World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the opening round of the Rio Open has made Djokovic’s hold on the No. 1 position possible. Alcaraz hurt his ankle in the first round against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro just two points into the match. He stopped play and chose to retire at 1-1 in the first set. Britain’s Cameron Norrie, seeded second, is now the highest seed at the ongoing Rio Open.

👑 Novak Djokovic is now GUARANTEED to stay world No. 1 until April 1 2024, extending his record to 4️⃣1️⃣8️⃣ weeks……exactly double Rafael Nadal's 2️⃣0️⃣9️⃣ total weeks in the rankings top spot 🤯 pic.twitter.com/SXeiCD8IyP

— Eurosport (@eurosport) February 21, 2024

In more Rio Open action, Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca made the most of his wildcard and scored an upset win over Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up Arthur Fils. The 17-year-old Fonseca ranked 655, got the better of 36th-ranked Fils in straight sets in a rain-delayed 6-0, 6-4 win in 90 minutes. This is Fonseca’s first ATP tour win.

There is some good news for the Spaniard’s fans, as Carlos Alcaraz shared an update on Twitter regarding his injury. According to him, an MRI revealed it was a sprain, and he intends to be back in action at Las Vegas and Indian Wells. The World No. 2 is the defending champion at Indian Wells.

👋🏻! Acabo de realizarme una resonancia magnética en el tobillo tras la lesión de ayer, y tengo un esguince lateral grado II que me tendrá unos días parado… Nos vemos en Las Vegas e Indian Wells! 🇺🇸🙌🏻📸 Getty pic.twitter.com/NCux3nDpG5

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) February 21, 2024

Novak Djokovic will be back after five years in Indian Wells and will be the top seed this year, as will three-time BNP Paribas Open Winner Rafael Nadal (2007, 2009, 2013). Nadal continues on his comeback trailer after sitting out the whole of 2023 and the 2024 Australian Open. Djokovic has won five Indian Wells trophies, including for three straight years between 2014 – 2016. The Serbian will be playing his first tournament since the 2024 Australian Open.

The competition for the number two spot is wide open as Jannik Sinner will be in the fray. He will arrive in the Golden State with two consecutive wins at Melbourne and Rotterdam. Sinner took over the No. 3 spot on the ATP rankings from Daniil Medvedev recently. The Italian made it to the semifinals in 2023, losing to Alcaraz in straight sets, including a first-set tiebreak. 

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