Djokovic plans more selective schedule upon reaching No. 1 record

Novak Djokovic isn't sure what his next event will be following his win at the Australian Open.

The Serb just won his 18th Grand Slam title and his ninth at Melbourne Park. The victory will also give him the record for most total weeks at No . 1 in the rankings, moving him ahead of Roger Federer in two weeks.

That will allow Djokovic to be more selective about his schedule going forward.

"Now, after achieving the historic No.1 ranking for the longest weeks at No.1, it’s going to be a relief for me because I’m going to focus all my attention on Slams, mostly," he told press in Melbourne. "When you are going for No.1 rankings, you kind of have to be playing the entire season."

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Djokovic was next scheduled to play the ATP event in Dubai, followed by the Miami Open, but was already in doubt following an oblique injury he experienced during the Australian Open. Speaking to press in Australia the day following his win, Djokovic said the muscle tear grew from 1.7 cm to 2.5 cm during the event, and he would have to monitor the injury before deciding when to compete again.

The father of two also cited the importance of spending time at home, especially with current restrictions on the amount of team members players can bring to an ATP event.

"My goals will adapt and will shift a little bit, which means that I will have an opportunity to do that which, as a father and a husband, I’m really looking forward to that. Judging by what we’re seeing around the world, having family on the road with me will be a very difficult task," he said.

Since the return of tour competition following months of shutdown in 2020, the ATP has used an adjusted ranking system allowing players to count events from either the current or previous season towards their standings.