"I guess he wouldn't be surprised" - Novak Djokovic jokingly reacts to viral video of 7-year-old self talking about World No. 1 dream

Novak Djokovic surpassed Steffi Graf and currently holds the record for the highest number of weeks as World No. 1 for any tennis player, male or female, at 378.

He returned to the top of the ATP rankings after winning a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

The Serb is currently competing at the Dubai Tennis Championships and booked his place in the second round of the tournament with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1) win over Czech Republic's Tomas Machac.

After the match, the Serb was shown a video of his seven-year-old self saying that his goal was to become the World No. 1. When asked how his younger self would feel on being at the top of the rankings for 378 weeks, he joked that he wouldn't be surprised because he knew.

"Well, I guess he wouldn't be surprised because he knew. Of course, obviously at that point, you know, I drank a lot, I drank the big big dreams and as I mentioned a few minutes ago, that was the biggest dream," Novak Djokovic said.

"Well, I I use my visualization, I would say imagination, pretty well, but you know, at that point I couldn't imagine that I would get this far, you know, I really believe that I could, you know, one day become a No. 1 player in the world, but to stay this many weeks in that ranking spot, it's definitely something that surprised me too," he added.

---

Novak Djokovic will face Tallon Griekspoor in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships

Novak Djokovic in action at the Dubai Tennis Championships

Djokovic was given a tough fight by Tomas Machac in his opening-round fixture at the Dubai Tennis Championships but managed to get past the Czech.

The Serb will next take on Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the last 16 of the ATP 500 event. The 26-year-old booked his place in the second round with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win over Constant Lestienne.

Djokovic and Griekspoor will lock horns for the second time. The Serb beat him 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in their previous meeting in the second round of the 2021 US Open.

The 35-year-old continues his unbeaten run in 2023 and is aiming to win his sixth title at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which would narrow the gap between him and Roger Federer, who has won the tournament a record eight times.