Novak Djokovic, 34, lost his spot at the top of men’s tennis last month after a quarter-final defeat at the Dubai Open. Daniil Medvedev, who reached the Mexican Open final, replaced him to become the 27th world number one since ATP rankings were computerised in 1973.
The 25-year-old Russian enters the Indian Wells Masters as the top seed. Meanwhile, Germany’s Alexander Zverev, 24, could also shake up the rankings—winning the title in California would earn him 1,000 points and push Djokovic further down to third place.
Djokovic’s Masters Record
Djokovic has enjoyed tremendous success at Indian Wells and Miami, securing 11 titles across the two Masters tournaments. As part of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events, these competitions are regarded as the most prestigious on the calendar outside of the four Grand Slam tournaments in Melbourne, Paris, London, and New York.
Vaccine Controversy and Missed Australian Open
The Serbian star was forced to miss the 2022 Australian Open after his visa was revoked due to his vaccination status. During the legal battle, court proceedings revealed that Djokovic had not received the COVID-19 vaccine.