Novak Djokovic says breaking Steffi Graf’s report of 377 weeks at primary within the rankings on Monday is “surreal” and that he’s proud to surpass one of many sport’s all-time greats. The Serb will spend his 378th week on the prime of males’s tennis competing in Dubai, the place he’ll play his first match since capturing a tenth Australian Open crown and record-equalling twenty second Grand Slam title final month. “I nonetheless need extra achievements,” Djokovic instructed reporters in Dubai on Sunday. “I am pushed by the targets. I am as devoted to the game actually as anyone else.

“After all, it is surreal in a solution to be that many weeks world quantity, to match Steffi Graf, who is among the all-time greats of our sport, each women and men. Simply being amongst these legendary names is flattering. I am very pleased with it.”

Undefeated in all 12 matches he has contested up to now this season, Djokovic says he has been pain-free for the previous week, having recovered from a muscle tear in his left hamstring he had sustained in Australia.

“I am getting nearer to 100%. Nonetheless not there by way of the sport itself, how I really feel on the court docket. However the necessary factor is that there is no such thing as a ache. I haven’t got a hindrance to the way in which I transfer on the court docket,” declared the 35-year-old.

Djokovic will start his Dubai marketing campaign in opposition to Czech qualifier Tomas Machac on Tuesday, the place the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Andy Murray are additionally anticipated to take the court docket.

Murray, who’s one week older than Djokovic and has been the Serb’s rival since their early teen years, is coming off a shocking week in Doha, the place he battled by 4 three-setters earlier than shedding to Medvedev within the remaining.

It has been a theme for the British former world primary, who additionally placed on heroic shows on the Australian Open final month.

“What is going on now this yr together with his match factors saved in actually each match he performs, the quantity of hours he spent on the court docket for the reason that starting of the yr, notably in Australia, is simply one thing you will need to admire and say ‘chapeau’ due to the whole lot he has gone by together with his hip,” stated Djokovic of Murray.

– ‘Nice man Murray’ –

“It’s a must to observe that he has a man-made hip and he is transferring the way in which he does. He is consistently seeking to enhance and to get again to the best degree, which it looks as if he is been doing. He is simply rising within the rankings. The extent is best and higher.

“I am very comfortable for him as a result of he is an important man, respects the game, works very, very exhausting. So very dedicated, he deserves his success.”

Djokovic has additionally been being attentive to the latest exploits of Chinese language gamers on the ATP tour.

There are two Chinese language males ranked within the prime 100 – Wu Yibing and Zhang Zhizhen – with teenager Shang Juncheng not far behind.

Djokovic stated he all the time knew it was solely a matter of time earlier than China’s males made their approach up the rankings the way in which Chinese language girls have on the WTA tour.

“I am comfortable for China’s tennis. It is necessary. It is necessary {that a} nation like China is doing properly in males’s tennis, as properly. I feel for us globally, as a part of tennis ecosystem, it is nice information,” he added.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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