By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 24, 2022
Novak Djokovic's record reign as world No. 1 is done. A brilliant Jiri Vesely toppled the top seed 6-4, 7-6(4) in Dubai, elevating Daniil Medvedev to the top spot.
Photo credit: Getty
Attacking history on the rise, Jiri Vesely curled a crosscourt forehand that kissed the top of the tape and crashed world order.
A brilliant Vesely stunned Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6(4) surging into the Dubai semifinals and snapping the Serbian’s record reign as world No. 1 that spanned 361 weeks.
Playing from behind all night, Djokovic broke when Vesely served for the match at 5-4, but the qualifier delivered dynamic tennis in the tiebreaker.
"Unfortunately, wasn't my day. I congratulate Jiri," Djokovic said. "He played better. He just went for his shots. His serve was big. His whole game was big.
"When he needed to come up with the good shots, he did, putting a lot of pressure also on my service games. His backhand on this surface where it's really fast and it stays low is really effective... I expected myself to play on a higher level, for sure. I mean, I can do better. But credit to Jiri."
Vesely, who was sidelined after a bout with COVID, continuously took his cracks at big strikes and did not shrink from the moment at closing time.
"I mean it's an amazing feeling; I never thought I would really have a chance against Novak," an emotional Vesely said in his on-court interview. "He’s one of the greatest of all times, if not the best.
"After the last 12 months I’ve been going through it’s unbelievable. I have so many emotions inside. It’s hard to describe, it’s an amazing feeling."
The 123rd-ranked Czech qualifier’s inspired upset means second-ranked Russian Daniil Medvedev will succeed Djokovic as world No. 1 when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday.
Here’s a look at the live rankings with US Open champion Medvedev in the top spot.
The 26-year-old Medvedev is the first non Big 4 champion to reach No. 1 since Andy Roddick held the top spot in February, 2004 and the first Russian man to rise to world No. 1 since his former ATP Cup captain Marat Safin in April, 2001.
Djokovic departed applauding the fans who had supported him throughout the week and perhaps wondering when he'll play again and if he will be able to play enough to make another run at No. 1 given his unvaccinated status.
"My goal is to keep on playing tennis. That's the ultimate goal," Djokovic said. "For as long as I really feel like it, to be honest, and as long as I can play, as long as my body allows me, as long as the circumstances in my life as well, the people that surrounds me support me. If all is in favor of me playing professional tennis and competing, I'll keep on doing that.
"Of course I'm still motivated and I'm still pissed off when I lose a match. I care about it. I care about winning every match, as anybody else on the tour, regardless of the age. I'm actually glad that I'm feeling a lot of emotions every single day because it means that I really want to be part of this sport, part of the tour."
Vesely's electric evening stunner gives rise to a new dawn: For the first time since 2004 a man other than Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray will occupy the top spot.
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic doesn’t have a competitive kryptonite, but Vesely has a habit of crashing the Wimbledon winner’s flight. The Czech qualifier is one of the few active players who owns a winning record over Djokovic.
This was Vesely’s second victory over Djokovic in as many meetings following a shocking 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 upset on the red clay of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters back in 2016. In Monte-Carlo, the former junior No. 1 was the first man to serve out a match against Djokovic in 2016, snapping the Serbian's 14-match winning streak.
It was deja blue on the blue Dubai hard court as the left-hander lashed nine aces, hammered deep returns, detonated points with punishing winners and successfully dragged Djokovic off the baseline with audacious drop shots.
Still, Djokovic fought hard and didn’t lose the match; Vesely won it. The explosive Czech earned exactly three more points total (74 to 71) in a physical one, hour 57-minute triumph that left his clothes soaked with sweat clinging to his skin and a smile of joy and appreciation for the engaged crowd plastered across his face.
"I really love these matches playing against the best players in the world having the full stadiums," said Vesely, who will face sixth-seeded Denis Shapovalov in an all-lefty semifinal tomorrow. "It's something I really dream about about my whole life. Always playing against these guys the atmosphere is fantastic, so I really enjoyed it.
"To be honest after the last match, I was joking I don’t want to fail my record against Novak but I never expected to win again. Of course it’s great for tennis to have somebody new at world No. 1. Again we all know Novak missed Australian Open, he’s been No. 1 for 361 weeks. Tennis needs new No. 1s. I think it’s great."
Though Djokovic has called this moment “inevitable” and said he will be the first to congratulate new No. 1 Medvedev, the pressure of playing to retain the top spot was evident in the opening game as Vesely burst out of the blocks roaring to break a jittery Djokovic.
The left-hander lasered a 131 missile down the T backing up the break with a bang for a 2-0 lead.
A brilliant defensive stab prolonged the point allowing Djokovic to freeze the big man with a rainbow lob winner. That sequence reminded Vesely he had to red line his game because he can’t run with the elastic Serbian. Vesely missed the mark with a series of forehands as Djokovic break back to even after four games.
Sliding across the blue court like a speed skater gliding through the line, Djokovic angled a forehand winner he celebrated with an uppercut.
Vesely changed it up flicking a few shrewd fluttering drop shots inciting a dazzling touch exchange with both men nose-to-nose inside the service box before the Czech flicked a winner for break point prompting a roar. Djokovic saved it, but Vesely lashed a backhand return down the line for another break point. A rattled Djokovic tried to go big on a second serve but slapped it into net as Vesely broke again for 4-3.
Driving his first serve down the T with menacing intent, Vesely slashed a confirmation hold for 5-3. Djokovic took the attack blocking a backhand volley holding to force the world No. 123 to serve out the set.
Attacking behind a stinging serve, Vesely moved to double set point. As Serbian fans chanted “Nole! Nole!”, the Czech pressed mute hammering a wide serve on the ad side to take the opening set with a silencing statement.
The top seed started set two with a spark sliding his third ace to ignite a love hold.
Electric exchanges saw both men deliver probing shots of pace and angle. Vesely continued to masterfully mix fire and finesse to unsettle the world No. 1.
Fortunate favored Vesely, who banged a backhand off the top of the tape, the net cord fluttered over and Djokovic’s running scoop landed long for double break point. The top seed saved the first break point with a serve-and-volley, but Vesely banged a return deep down the middle then bolted a clean backhand winner down the line breaking for 4-3 an hour and 20 minutes into the match.
Serving to consolidate, Vesely took his shotmaking to Mansour Bahrami levels flicking a between the legs forehand to extend a point then winning the point on a Djokovic netted error.
Staring down a break point, Vesely denied it with toughness and topspin winning a punishing 23-shot rally. The energized Czech smacked a smash for game point. Vesely’s ability to stay in step with the 20-time Grand Slam champion in longer rallies helped him hold for 5-3 as Djokovic netted a backhand trying to change direction.
Ninety-one minutes into the match, Vesely stepped up to serve for his second win over the world No. 1.
Down love-30, Vesely swept his seventh ace off the center stripe but overcooked a drive to face double break point. Vesely rocketed a 139 mph ace to obliterate the second break point, but missed a forehand to confront a third. This time, Djokovic drained a backhand error as fans waving Serbian flags erupted in chants of “Nole! Nole!”
The second set escalated into a tiebreaker after one hour 48 minutes. A benevolent Djokovic ceded the mini break to open and sailed a forehand. Carving a forehand drop volley, the Czech extended to 3-0.
Tension spiked on both sides as Vesely pushed a volley wide and Djokovic missed a massive second serve to fall behind 3-5. Vesely had the match on his racquet. Veseley pasted the sideline with a crackling crosscourt backhand for match point at 6-4.
Veseley curled a crosscourt forehand that kissed the top of the tape and landed inside the sideline. The Czech crashed to the court soaking in a historic win.