Djokovic returns to world No 1 but could lose it again to Medvedev after Miami

The Serb begins his 362nd week as world No 1 in men’s tennis and will be there for one more week at the least

Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic © AI / Reuters / Panoramic

March 22, 2022

Novak Djokovic returned to the top spot in the world rankings on Monday, beginning his 362^nd week as the top-ranked player in men’s tennis. The Serb’s return to No 1 was facilitated by the early exit of Daniil Medvedev at the just-concluded BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells where Medvedev was ousted in the third round by French veteran Gael Monfils.

Medvedev, who won the US Open in September and reached the Australian Open final in January, needed to reach the quarter-finals in Indian Wells to extend his three-week stint as World No. 1.

DJOKOVIC, 8465
MEDVEDEV, 8410

Djokovic will miss Miami

Djokovic was unable to enter the United States due to entry requirements, requiring players to be vaccinated. As a result, he will also miss the Miami Masters, which begins this week.

The Serb, who was controversially deported out of Melbourne over the vaccination issue, has played only one tournament in 2022 so far, losing to Jiri Vesely in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February.

He is next scheduled to play in the Monte Carlo Masters, which begins on April 10, with current rules allowing unvaccinated players to enter the principality. He is also expected to be able to play at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon as per current rules.

Medvedev needs to reach Miami semi-finals to return to world No 1

Djokovic has a 55-point lead over Medvedev in the latest rankings. Medvedev will have a chance to return to the top spot if he reaches the semi-finals in Miami. The 25-year-old, who now plays under a neutral flag, has a bye in the opening round of the 96-player draw, will meet either former world No 1 Andy Murray or Federico Delbonis in the second round.

• Number of points for Djokovic next week : 8420 (-65)
• Eventual number of points for Medvedev next week : between 8240 and 9230

Medvedev is projected to meet 27^th seed Cristian Garin in the third round, and either 15^th seed Roberto Bautista Agut or 18^th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in the round of 16.