Novak Djokovic is capable of extending his record for holding the men’s world No. 1 ranking for most weeks to 400, said Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, who is to climb up to a career-best ranking of second tomorrow.
The 33-year-old Djokovic, who won his 18th Grand Slam at the Australian Open last month, eclipsed Roger Federer’s record on March 8, when he moved past the Swiss to hold the top ranking for the 311th week.
“First of all, it’s an unbelievable achievement,” Medvedev said after reaching the semi-finals of the ATP 250 event in Marseille on Friday. “I think in the world of tennis we talk about Grand Slams more than anything else, but this is also a small competition, I’m sure he’s really happy about it. The way he’s played, he’s definitely capable of catching 400 weeks.”
Photo: AP
“We’re going to try to not let him do this,” he said. “I didn’t manage to do anything in the Australian Open final, but that is what sport is about. Nobody is going to give him an easy pass, he’s going to have to earn it.”
On the courts, Greek world No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas saw his hopes of a third successive Marseille ATP title dashed by 93rd-ranked Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the quarter-finals.
Herbert, better known as a doubles specialist, swept past Australian Open semi-finalist Tsitsipas 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-2.
The 29-year-old was to play fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert, who put out compatriot Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4), with the semi-final to be played after press time last night.
“It’s incredible, it’s my first win against a top-five player,” Herbert said. “I knew that I’d have to play a great match to win and that’s what I did.”
Medvedev won 6-2, 6-4 against 19-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner and was to play Australian qualifier Mattew Ebden, who beat Karen Khachanov of Russia 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
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