Tennis legend John McEnroe has said it is ‘ludicrous’ to suggest that the possibility of Novak Djokovic losing his world No.1 ranking in the coming weeks removes his status as the sports best player.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion has spoken out in support of the Serbian who could potentially fall from the top of the rankings next Monday should Daniil Medvedev go on to win the Australian Open title. Djokovic has been unable to play in the first Grand Slam of 2022 after the Australian government deported him amid a high-profile row, which included two separate court hearings within a week, surrounding the validity of his visa to enter the country to begin with. Djokovic was the defending champion at Melbourne Park and therefore his points lead in the race has been substantially reduced.
Speaking to Eurosport, McEnroe said that reaching world No.1 at any point is a ‘great honor’ but it is the year-end positions which he thinks are the most significant when it comes to categorizing somebody as the best in their sport. During his career, the American was at the top of the rankings for 170 weeks which is the seventh highest tally in the Open Era.
“Let me put it a little perspective, it’s a long year,” McEnroe said. “I think what really matters when you become No. 1 and it’s still a great honor whenever it happens, it’s who’s No. 1 at the end of the year.
“The final rankings before, when all four majors are played, when all the tournaments have been played, this is the very beginning of the year and it’s still an amazing accomplishment, but you’re not going to sit there and tell me that Djokovic who was No. 1, had three of the last four majors and was in the final of the US Open, isn’t the No. 1 player in the world – that’s ludicrous.
“And because of the unfortunate fact that he didn’t play here, he’s losing all the points he got that he won from the Australian Open. So that’s just why that happens.”
Djokovic hasn’t spoken publicly since returning back to his native Serbia but is expected to do so next week after the Grand Slam concludes. It is unclear when he will play his next tournament but he is on the entry list to play at the Dubai Tennis Championships which will begin on February 21st.
As for Medvedev, McEnroe has praised the playing style of the Russian and his improvement in the sport. Last year the 25-year-old recorded 63 wins on the ATP Tour with 51 of those being on a hardcourt. Those victories were more than any other player.
“You gotta love the way he plays because it’s sort of, to me, the way you try to teach kids who are learning to play the sport, get a foundation, make sure you don’t beat yourself,” McEnroe said. “Then eventually you start adding to your game and that’s what he’s done.”
Should Medvedev clinch the world No.1 spot in the coming weeks he would become the first player outside of the Big Four (including Andy Murray) to do so since Andy Roddick in 2004.
