By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday, September 24, 2020
On the week that Novak Djokovic travelled to Paris with his record 36th Masters 1000 title in tow, the Serb also celebrated a rankings milestone.
Djokovic has climbed into second on the ATP’s all-time weeks at No.1 list as he celebrates his 287th overall week at the top of the ATP rankings. The Serb passes the great Pete Sampras on the list, and is now just 23 weeks behind Roger Federer’s record of 310 weeks at No.1.
Later this year Djokovic will also bid to tie Sampras’ record of six weeks as the ATP’s year-end No.1. It was a record that Sampras, who kept the ATP’s year-end No.1 ranking for six straight years, starting in 1993, worked frantically to take from Jimmy Connors in 1998. Since then Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have all crept to within one of Sampras’ record.
“Of course I'm aware of the amount of weeks, and I don't know exactly the date, but I know it's going to be in probably the first or beginning of the second quarter of next year if I eventually maintain my No. 1 ranking,” Djokovic said. “You know, I'm getting closer. I'm in a very good position, I feel like. I have been also playing really well and been healthy, which is great.”
Djokovic, if he stays at No.1, is slated to tie the overall record for weeks at No.1 next March 1st, and he would break it the following week, March 8th.