Djokovic to lose No. 1 ranking after upset loss, Shapovalov into semis in Dubai
Medvedev will assume top ranking; only 4 players have held it since 2004
Novak Djokovic will fall 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 quarter-finals of the Dubai Championships on Thursday.
Djokovic's latest stay atop the rankings began on Feb. 3, 2020, and his total of 361 weeks there are the most for any man since the tour's computerized rankings began in 1973.
Also Thursday, Canada's Denis Shapovalov advanced to the semifinals with a 7-6 (4), 6-3 win over Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis.
He will face Vesely, the first ATP meeting of their careers.
WATCH l Shapovalov advances to Dubai semifinals with straight sets victory:
Shapovalov, the sixth seed in Dubai, fired 14 aces in the match that lasted one hour 31 minutes and did not face a break point. He converted two of his three breakpoint chances against Berankis.
After a first set in which both players held serve until the tiebreak, Shapovalov took over in the second set. He won 88 per cent of his first serve points and took the set on a break.
Shapovalov, form Richmond Hill, Ont., improved his career record against Berankis to 3-1.
A few hours after clinching top spot in the ATP rankings, the top-seeded Medvedev eased into the Mexican Open semifinals with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Yoshihito Nishioka.
The Russian player will face either Rafael Nadal or Tommy Paul in the semis in the hard-court tournament.
Medvedev lost to Nadal in the Australian Open final in an epic five-set match where the Spaniard rallied after losing the first two sets to win a record 21st Grand Slam singles title.
Only 4 players have held No. 1 since 2004
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."
Medvedev is currently playing at the Mexican Open, winning in the second round on Wednesday.
After beating Pablo Andujar, Medvedev said of getting to No. 1: "If I do it it's going to mean a lot."
Vesely, who is ranked No. 123, completed a second career victory over Djokovic in just under two hours to end the Serb's hopes of winning the Dubai title for a sixth time. He beat Djokovic in 2016 in Monte Carlo the only other time they faced each other.
"I never expected to win again," Vesely said. "He's such a champion."
Vesely served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but was broken by Djokovic, who was always chasing in the tiebreaker.
Vesely clinched the win on his first match point.
With files from The Canadian Press
