Novak Djokovic: I'll give my all to surpass Roger Federer for historic No. 1 ranking

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic underlined once again that he is fully locked in on surpassing Roger Federer on the historic No. 1 ranking. 

Federer, a record 20-time Grand Slam champion, also holds the record for the most weeks spent at No. 1 but Djokovic is strongly bidding to make it past the Swiss one day. 

"Well, of course I'm aware of the amount of weeks, and I don't know exactly the date, but I know it's going to be in probably the first or beginning of the second quarter of next year if I eventually maintain my No. 1 ranking," Djokovic said in his press conference after winning the Rome Masters.

"You know, I'm getting closer. I'm in a very good position, I feel like. I have been also playing really well and been healthy, which is great.

"Yes, you're right. Those are the two biggest professional goals that I have at the moment. So the No. 1, historic No. 1 ranking goal is something that is on the horizon, and I'm going to give my all and very best that I can possibly give in the next period to achieve that.

"And then, of course, you know, after that -- during, obviously, the attempt to reach that, I'm going to focus on slams mostly but also Masters events, of course. But also, after that, you know, slams will be the big one, of course.

"Let's see. I don't know. I can't go too far, and I don't know what years to come will bring for me and just tennis and the world in general."

Djokovic didn't know the tournament could be relocated from Rome 

Djokovic, a 17-time Grand Slam champion, claimed a record 36th Masters title after beating Diego Schwartzman in the Rome Masters final. 

"I did not know about that, that there is a consideration to move it to the other city. I know that Torino will have the World Tour Finals next year. That's nice. That will be a great change for World Tour Finals, which I have been always saying that the Masters Cup or World Tour Finals should travel more. I don't think it should be in one place more than three years. So that's good news," Djokovic said, when asked if he knew the tournament could he relocated to another Italian city.

"But London obviously for World Tour Finals was very successful these last 11 years or as many years that we had it.

"And Rome I think is a great place to have the tournament. I mean, you have amazing facilities, history of this tournament, crowd. There is a big, big interest and popularity of this event. I mean, a lot of people come to watch. Great energy. Great success, to be honest, every year.

"I don't know. As I said, you surprise me a little bit, because this is the first time I have this information."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/35Z8xwX