Novak Djokovic will drop from No. 1 in the ATP rankings and be replaced by Daniil Medvedev after losing 6-4, 7-6 (4) to Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships on Thursday.
On Monday, Medvedev will climb from No. 2 for the first time and become the 27th man to reach at No. 1. He won the U.S. Open last September and was the Australian Open runner-up each of the past two years.
Medvedev is the first man other than Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to be No. 1 since Feb. 1, 2004.
“It’s great for tennis, I think, to have somebody new at world No. 1 again,” Vesely said in his on-court interview. “Tennis needs, of course, new No. 1s. A new generation is coming up. I think it’s just great.”
It was Djokovic’s first tournament since being deported from Australia last month for not being vaccinated against the Covid, keeping him from having the option to defend his Australian Open title.