Novak Djokovic reacts to Aryna Sabalenka's rise to World No. 1

Novak Djokovic recently reacted to Aryna Sabalenka's ascent to the summit of the WTA rankings. Both players have claimed the World No. 1 spot following the conclusion of the 2023 US Open tournament.

Although Sabalenka fell short in the finals, losing in three sets to Coco Gauff, she managed to displace Iga Swiatek from the No. 1 position. The Belarusian has enjoyed an incredible run in 2023, winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open before advancing to successive semifinals at the French Open and Wimbledon.

In the wake of Sabalenka's achievement, Novak Djokovic took to his Instagram to share a bunch of emojis toasting her success.

Novak Djokovic congratulates Aryna Sabalenka

Novak Djokovic had earlier congratulated the Belarusian on the World No. 1 ranking in a funny manner, by sharing a picture of the two of them wearing sunglasses.

Novak Djokovic says he is not ready to pass the torch to the next generation just yet

US Open Tennis

Novak Djokovic displayed his grit, mental fortitude and stamina to win his fourth US Open title and a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title. The 36-year-old beat Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Sunday, September 10, which was the perfect redemption for his loss against the Russian in the 2021 US Open final.

In his post-match press conference, Novak Djokovic said he has no plans to hang up his racquet given that he can still play at the highest level.

"Occasionally asking myself, why do I need this still at this stage after all I have done, you know? How long do I want to keep going? I do have these questions in my head, of course," he said.

"Knowing that I play at such a high level still and I win the biggest tournaments in this sport, yeah, I don't want to get rid of this sport or I don't want to leave this sport if I'm still at the top," Djokovic added.