Novak Djokovic has overtaken Roger Federer's record for the most weeks spent in the ATP top 5 rankings, reaching 860 weeks despite withdrawing from the Madrid Open due to a right shoulder injury. The 38-year-old world No. 4 has been sidelined since Indian Wells. He also holds the all-time record for weeks at No. 1 with 428.
Djokovic picked up the shoulder injury during his fourth-round loss to Jack Draper at Indian Wells. Since then, he has withdrawn from the Miami Open, Monte Carlo Masters, and now the Madrid Open, marking over a month out of action. Despite the absences, the latest ATP rankings show him eclipsing Federer's 859 weeks in the top 5, a milestone confirmed on April 21. He has also logged his 939th week in the top 10, trailing only Federer's 968 weeks total there. Djokovic told Esquire Australia that his love for the game fuels him: “What keeps me going is first and foremost my love for the game. Tennis has been my life for so long, and I still enjoy every moment on the court. I love the competition, I love the challenge, and I still feel strong and capable of competing with the younger players — that’s a big part of the fun for me.” He added that he has not yet “completed” tennis despite his 24 Grand Slam titles, the most for any man, and emphasized training smarter to manage his body at this career stage. Earlier this year, Djokovic reached the Australian Open final, defeating Jannik Sinner in the semifinals before losing to Carlos Alcaraz, giving him a 7-2 win-loss record for 2026. He eyes a return possibly at the Rome Masters starting May 6 or the Hamburg Open from May 17, ahead of the French Open on May 24.
