For the first time since 2004, the ATP world number one ranking will be held by a player other than Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev will take over the top spot after Djokovic suffered a shock defeat to world No 23 Jiri Vesely in the quarterfinal of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.
Medvedev is currently playing in the Mexican Open and will be awarded the top ranking at the end of the tournament.
"By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world," the 26-year-old said after his quarterfinal win, referring to his country’s invasion of Ukraine earlier in the day.
Guess what this guy's ranking is going to be next week 🌏🥇🙌@DaniilMedwed pic.twitter.com/b9ixKJnbTy
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 24, 2022
"We play in so many different countries. I've been in so many different countries as a junior and as a pro. It's just not easy to hear all this news. I'm all for peace."
The Serb has held the No 1 ranking for two consecutive years and it was to the new world leader that Djokovic lost the 2021 US Open final, denying him the opportunity to complete a calendar slam.
The quartet of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray were known as the Big Four of tennis, and the last player apart from these four to hold the number one ranking was Andy Roddick in 2004.
Djokovic lost 2,000 points in January after he was deported from Australia and failed to defend his Australian Open crown. Medvedev’s run to the final and recent good form helped him catch up with the Serb, who holds the record for most weeks at the top—361 weeks.
Medvedev also becomes the first Russian man in 21 years to reach the number one spot.
Former US Open champion Marat Safin was the last Russian men’s tennis player to hold the No 1 ranking. Safin held the top spot for a total of nine weeks between November 2000 and April 2001.
Medvedev will face Rafael Nadal in the Mexican Open semifinal tomorrow, less than a month after losing to him in a marathon Australian Open final.
Nadal is ranked fifth in the world, behind Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
