Novak Djokovic commenced his 410th week as the world's top tennis player, as confirmed in the latest ATP ranking released this Monday.
The Serbian player reclaimed the top spot immediately after Carlos Alcaraz's defeat in the Australian Open quarterfinals, securing the position despite losing 1,200 points due to his elimination in the semifinals.
Although Djokovic defended last year's title and forfeited 2,000 points, his lead remained secure.
This is expected to persist for several more weeks, likely until the French Open. Djokovic has few points to defend during this period, unlike his competitors who had a successful season in that segment last year.
In theory, Alcaraz could surpass Djokovic before the French Open. Currently, The Serb holds a 600-point advantage, and the Spaniard could bridge this gap by participating in and winning tournaments in Buenos Aires, Rio, and Acapulco, defending 500 points and potentially earning 1,250 if successful in all three events.
While Alcaraz participated in Buenos Aires and Rio last year, winning the title in Argentina and reaching the final in Brazil, he withdrew from Acapulco due to injury.
If a similar scenario unfolds this year, he could surpass Djokovic on March 2. However, Djokovic not participating in any tournament before that date (as was the case last year in Dubai) could prevent this unlikely scenario.
Even if this improbable scenario materializes, Alcaraz's tenure as the top-ranked player would be short-lived, as Djokovic isn't defending any points from Indian Wells and Miami, where he plans to play this year, with the potential to earn up to 2,000 points.
Therefore, it is highly probable that Djokovic will maintain his status as the ATP's highest-ranked male player until the French Open, marking at least 428 weeks at the pinnacle. As of this Monday, he holds a 100-week lead over Roger Federer on the all-time list.
Among the Top 10 players, there have been four changes. The first six positions remain unchanged, with Holger Rune now in 7th place, Hubert Hurkacz in 8th, Taylor Fritz in 9th, and Stefanos Tsitsipas dropping three places to 10th.