Officially speaking, Novak Djokovic is the oldest world No. 1 in ATP history.
Djokovic broke Roger Federer’s record at the age of 36 years and 321 days, solidifying his status as the best player in men’s tennis history. On Monday, Djokovic will start his 420th week as the world’s top player.
The Serb has already held the top spot in tennis history for the longest. 110 extra weeks that Roger Federer had in his career make up his 420 weeks. With 286 weeks at No. 1, Pete Sampras is a distant third on the list.
Jimmy Connors’ 109 tournament victories are just 12 shy from being broken by Djokovic. With 24, he currently holds the record for the most Grand Slams ever.
As Nadal struggles with injury and Federer has retired, Djokovic is the only one of the Big Three who is usually on tour. Although he hasn’t decided when to retire, he acknowledged that it is something that worries him.
In January, Djokovic stated, “To be honest, I’m kind of divided [on retirement].” “A small child who loves tennis, knows nothing about it, has dedicated his entire life to the game, and that child still wants to keep playing is always a part of me.
Conversely, as a father of two kids, I’m separated from my family, and it pains me every time I have to travel for an extended length of time. I therefore constantly ask myself, “Is it worth it? How long should I play? How many tournaments should I play?”
Being the oldest player in history to win a Grand Slam may be the last thing to look for in Djokovic’s case. With 37 years, 1 month, and 24 days on his record, Ken Rosewall presently holds the record.
Given that Djokovic turns 37 this month, it’s possible that the record may be broken sooner rather than later.
