Novak Djokovic celebrates a point against Carlos Alcaraz during a match at the Nitto ATP Finals, in Turin, Italy, on Nov. 18.Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic earned the year-end No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings for the eighth time on Monday, adding to a record he already held.
Djokovic won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open in January, French Open in June and U.S. Open in September – to raise his career total to a men’s-record 24 and was the runner-up at the other, Wimbledon. He went 56-7 this season while leading the tour with seven titles, including at the ATP Finals last month.
The 36-year-old from Serbia regained the top ranking from Carlos Alcaraz, who edged him in a five-set final at the All England Club in July.
Alcaraz finished 2023 at No. 2 after the two men swapped No. 1 back-and-forth repeatedly this year.
Iga Swiatek claimed the WTA’s year-end No. 1 ranking for the second consecutive year by winning the WTA Finals last month. Swiatek, who won her fourth career major championship at the French Open, overtook Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion and runner-up to Coco Gauff at the U.S. Open. Gauff finished at No. 3, followed by Elena Rybakina at No. 4 and Jessica Pegula at No. 5.
Djokovic eclipsed his own mark for the oldest player to top the ATP at the end of a season; he was 34 in 2021.
His eight year-end No. 1s put him two ahead of previous record-holder Pete Sampras, who did it six times. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal each finished at No. 1 five times, as did Jimmy Connors.
Daniil Medvedev closed 2023 at No. 3, followed by Jannik Sinner at a career-best No. 4, Andrey Rublev at No. 5, Stefanos Tsitsipas at No. 6, Alexander Zverev at No. 7, Holger Rune at No. 8, Hubert Hurkacz at No. 9 and Taylor Fritz at No. 10.
Alcaraz and Rune are both 20, marking the first time two men that young both ended a season in the top 10 since 2000, when Marat Safin, 20, was No. 2, and Lleyton Hewitt, 19, was No. 7.
There are three 19-year-olds in the top 100: No. 36 Arthur Fils, No. 71 Luca Van Assche and No. 97 Alex Michelson, an American who jumped up 504 spots after ending last year at No. 601.
The United States is the country with the most men in the top 20, four: Fritz, No. 13 Tommy Paul, No. 16 Frances Tiafoe and No. 17 Ben Shelton.
Nadal lowering own expectations
MADRID – Rafael Nadal has lower expectations for when he returns to the tour in January after a year out.
Nadal announced on Friday he will play at the Brisbane International in Australia in January. The 37-year-old Spaniard has not appeared on tour since last January, when he hurt his hip flexor during a loss in the second round of the Australian Open. He wound up having arthroscopic surgery in June in Barcelona.
Nadal said on Monday in a video on social media that he hopes to again “feel those nerves, that illusion, those fears, those doubts” on the court.
“I have been afraid to announce things because in the end it’s a year without competing and it’s a hip operation. But what worries me the most is not the hip, it’s everything else,” he said. “I think I’m ready and I trust and hope that things go well and that it gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself on the court.”
Nadal said he knows things may be different after so much time without competing.
“I expect from myself not to expect anything. This is the truth. To have the ability not to demand myself what I have demanded myself throughout my career,” he said. “I believe I’m in a different moment, in a different situation and in an unexplored terrain.”