Novak Djokovic said that it would be “amazing” to equal childhood idol Pete Sampras’ all-time record of ending the year as world No. 1 on six occasions.
Djokovic can ensure that he matches the great US player by winning two matches at this week’s Vienna Open.
The 33-year-old Serb has been the top-ranked player at the end of a season five times: in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018.
Photo: EPA-EFE
He shares that mark with career rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Sampras achieved the feat six years in succession between 1993 and 1998.
“Sampras was my childhood idol growing up and it will be amazing to tie his record by being the year-end world No. 1 six times,” Djokovic told a news conference on Sunday.
Djokovic has another target — beating Federer’s all-time best of 310 weeks spent on top of the rankings.
On Monday, Djokovic begins his 292nd week as world No. 1.
If he stays in pole position, he would pass Federer in early March next year, although he admits that in the current climate, everything in the sport remains “unpredictable.”
“It’s my great goal to achieve that and it’s something I am working toward,” Djokovic said. “I hope it happens in March, but let’s see. So many unpredictable things can happen and things change week by week.”
Djokovic is playing in Vienna for the first time since he won the title there in 2007.
Yesterday, he opened against compatriot Serb Filip Krajinovic, with a second-round clash against either Borna Coric of Croatia or the US’ Taylor Fritz.
It is the 17-time Grand Slam title winner’s first tournament since his straight-set loss to Nadal at the Paris Open final two weeks ago.
However, his path to a fifth title this season is likely to run into defending Vienna champion and home star Dominic Thiem in the final.
NADAL GOLF FORAY
Two weeks after his 13th French Open title, Rafael Nadal on Monday proved his prowess in another sporting arena when he finished tied for sixth in the Balearic Golf Championship.
The 34-year-old, who boasts a handicap of 0.3, came in 10 shots behind the winner after the three day tournament in Llucmajor on his native Mallorca, sports newspaper Marca reported.
The world No. 2 in his chosen sport of tennis followed up 74s in the opening two rounds with a 77 on Monday in the combined Pro-Am event won by Sebastian Garcia.
Nadal swops clubs for rackets when he returns to the court for the Paris Masters in the Parisian neighborhood of Bercy on Monday next week.
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