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REIGN IS OVER! Novak Djokovic Slips From World No.1 Spot After Losing to Qualifier at ATP Dubai

Published 02/24/2022, 12:32 PM EST

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via Reuters

On Thursday at the Dubai Open, we saw a massive upset as World no.1 Novak Djokovic, lost to Jiri Vesely in straight sets. This was the first time the Serbian played in any tournament this year. This result will not please the 20-time Grand Slam champion. REIGN IS OVER! Novak Djokovic Slips From World No.1 Spot After Losing to Qualifier at ATP Dubai

After a tough start to the year, Djokovic was hoping for a title win at Dubai. However, the Czech player Vesely came in the way of the Serbian. Incidentally, this was his second win over Novak Djokovic.

via Reuters

Novak Djokovic loses in Dubai

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The current World no.1 Novak Djokovic won his first two matches in Dubai with ease. He beat Lorenzo Musetti and Karen Khachanov in the previous rounds to reach the quarter-final at the Dubai Open. However, his run in Dubai came to an end in the hands of Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic.

The Czech player beat Novak in straight sets, 6-4,7-6. After 1 hour and 57 minutes, the Serbian lost in an intense battle. Novak is still 0-2 in terms of his head-to-head record against Vesely. Previously, the Serbian lost Vesely in ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo in Monaco. This loss will be a huge blow for Novak as he loses his no.1 spot to the Russian Daniil Medvedev.

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Daniil Medvedev is the new world no.1

After spending almost 361 weeks as the no.1 on the tour, Djokovic will finally lose the no.1 spot. Instead, Daniil Medvedev of Russia will replace the Serbian as the new No.1 player in the ATP rankings, which will release on Monday. 

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Medvedev is currently playing in the Mexican Open at Acapulco. The Russian reached the quarter-final of that tournament, after beating Benoit Paire and Pablo Andujar in the previous rounds. He will now face Yoshihito Nishioka in the quarter-final.

Meanwhile, Djokovic will have a hard time getting back to the no.1 spot after this loss. The 20-time Grand Slam winner had already decided not to take the vaccine. As a result, he will now face uncertainty over his next tournament on the tour. Possibly, he is on the verge of missing all four Grand Slams in 2022. 

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Will Djokovic play a Grand Slam this year? Let us know in the comments.

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Debkinkar Maity

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Debkinkar Maity is a Tennis Author at EssentiallySports. His desire to become a sports journalist inspired him to take up a degree in journalism and mass communication, and he hasn't looked back ever since. Following the sport for over a decade now, Debkinkar has an ardent love for Roger Federer.
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