Nol-eight! Novak Djokovic clinches year-end No. 1 ranking for record-extending eighth time

With a 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 6-3 win over Holger Rune in his first match at the ATP Finals on Sunday, Novak Djokovic has clinched year-end No. 1 on the ATP rankings for a record-extending eighth time.

He clinched his record-breaking seventh year-end No. 1 finish last year, surpassing Pete Sampras’ previous record of six, and this year he one-ups himself after an historic season highlighted by his record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, his record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, and his record-extending 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open.

“It means a lot, obviously. You could see there was a lot of emotions on the court,” Djokovic said of the incredible feat.

“I could feel it. I was very eager to win tonight’s match and get that monkey off my back. I won Paris, which put me in a much better position rankings-wise, and I knew coming into Torino that all I have to do is win one match, so obviously a big objective, big goal is achieved. Everything else now is a bonus.”

MOST NO. 1 FINISHES IN ATP RANKINGS HISTORY (since 1973):
8: Novak Djokovic [2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023]
6: Pete Sampras [1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998]
5: Rafael Nadal [2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019]
5: Roger Federer [2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009]
5: Jimmy Connors [1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978]

That’s not where the ranking milestones end now, either.

Djokovic is now guaranteed an incredible 400th career week at No. 1 on the ATP rankings the week after the ATP Finals, which is a full 90 weeks clear of the next man on the list, Federer, who accumulated 310 career weeks at the top spot in his career.

All Djokovic needed to do to clinch year-end No. 1 at the ATP Finals was win one match or for Carlos Alcaraz to lose one match, but none of those scenarios matter anymore as Djokovic held up his end of the deal on Day 1—though it was a grind.

Rune had given Djokovic a lot of trouble in the past—before Djokovic edged him in the quarterfinals of Paris nine days ago, 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4, Rune had won their last two meetings in a row before that, in the quarterfinals of Rome in May, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, and in the final of Paris just over a year ago, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

And this one was a battle too, with Djokovic having to come back from a break down to win the first set, and—after dropping the second set—watching an early 2-0 lead evaporate to 2-all in the third set as Rune just wouldn’t stop clawing back.

But Djokovic won the next three games in a row for a 5-2 lead in the decider, and after one last hold from Rune to close in to 5-3, the 24-time Grand Slam champion swiftly served it out at love to close it out after three hours and four minutes on court.

The match was of the highest quality, with the two players combining for 85 winners (49 for Rune and 36 for Djokovic) to just 51 unforced errors (29 for Rune and 22 for Djokovic).

Djokovic converted four of eight break points, Rune three of six.