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Novak Djokovic equals Steffi Graf record in staggering 26-year first

The 10-time Australian Open champion's latest extraordinary feat has left tennis fans gobsmacked.

Andrew Reid
·4-min read
Novak Djokovic's Australian Open victory helped him equal Steffi Graf's all-time record of spending 377 weeks at the top of the world standings. Pic: Getty
Novak Djokovic's Australian Open victory helped him equal Steffi Graf's all-time record of spending 377 weeks at the top of the world standings. Pic: Getty

Fans are hailing Novak Djokovic as the greatest tennis player of all time after the Serb's latest astonishing slice of history. Fresh from a record-extending 10th Australian Open title that saw him return to World No.1 and equal Rafael Nadal's all time men's record of 22 major singles titles, Djokovic has now matched a long-standing milestone of female tennis great, Steffi Graf.

The Serb has long since held the record for the most weeks at the top of the ATP rankings, but after entering his 377th week as the World No.1, Djokovic has equalled the German legend's long-standing record. Graf has held the all-time record for a staggering 26 years, having spent 45 weeks longer at the top than her closest female contemporaries - second-placed Martina Navratilova (332) and Serena Williams (319).

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In contrast, Djokovic's nearest rival on the men's tour - since the ATP rankings were introduced in 1973 - is the now retired Roger Federer, who spent 310 weeks in top spot. The Serb is now just one week away from holding the outright record, with fans taking to social media to celebrate his extraordinary achievement and declare him the undisputed GOAT of tennis.

Former World No.1 stars enjoy title success

Djokovic returned to number one spot for a seventh time after his victory in the Australian Open at the end of January which was a record-equalling 22nd men's grand slam singles title. The 35-year-old's return to the top of the world standings came at the expense of Spanish young gun Carlos Alcaraz, who dropped to number two in the standings.

Alcaraz made a winning return after missing the Australian Open through injury, by beating Cameron Norrie in the final of the Argentina Open. Fellow former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev also jumped back into the top-10 of the men's standings after a three-set victory over Jannik Sinner saw him claim the Rotterdam title.

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas - whom Djokovic beat in the Australian Open final - rounds out the top three. Nadal - who is sidelined with a hip flexor injury from the Australian Open - is currently sixth in the ATP standings but in danger of dropping out of the top-10 for the first time in 18 years.

Nadal pulled out of the Middle East swing of the ATP Tour and is set to miss the Mexican Open, which he won in Acapulco last year. With Nadal unable to defend those 500 points and his participation at the Indian Wells Masters also in doubt, the Spaniard could drop out of the top-10 for the first time since 2005.

The top grand slam winners in the Open Era of tennis, pictured here in an infographic.
The top grand slam winners in the Open Era of tennis (since 1968). (Photo by Mahmut Resul Karaca/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

with agencies

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