Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic made sure this Friday end the year as world number one for the sixth time in his career, thus equaled the record that the North American had so far alone Pete Sampras.
Djokovic, 33, confirmed his position after the Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the only tennis player who could dethrone him, do not play next week the sofia tournament.
The Serbian, who had already finished as the best player of the year in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018, breaks another record, that of oldest number one.
Even though Sampras he did it uninterruptedly, between 1993 and 1998.
“Pete He was someone I looked up to when I was little, so match his record It is a dream come true“, declared Djokovic on the website of the ATP.
“I will keep trying to be a better player, I hope to have more successes and break more records in the sport that I love with all my heart, “he added.
“End the year as No. 1 is one of the most impressive achievements of our sport, it requires maintain excellence throughout the season, “said the president of the ATP, Andrea Gaudenzi.
“See to Novak achieve this by sixth time e match Pete’s record it’s just amazing, and it continues to solidify its position in the history books, “he added.
Djokovic, which surpassed Sampras’ 286 weeks at number one on September 21, 2020, could surpass the absolute record in possession of the swiss Roger Federer, with 310 weeks at the top, if it maintains its position until next March 8.
Your successes in 2020
In a 2020 season altered by the pandemic, Djokovic won its first 26 games, adding four titles (Australian Open, Dubai, Cincinnati and Rome).
His first defeat came in the round of 16 US Open before the spanish Pablo Carreño, when Djokovic was disqualified for hit with a ball to a linesman.
He also reached the final of Roland Garros, what lost against Nadal.
His balance this season is 39 wins and alone three defeats. The third was last month, in Vienna, against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego, by 6-2 and 6-1, one of the worst of his career.
Before the end of 2020, Djokovic still aspires to match another record, that of Federer from wins at the Masters (6).
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