Novak Djokovic Closing in on No. 1 Spot in ATP World Tennis Rankings

For so long now, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have been regarded as the two best tennis players in the world. However, it appears that Novak Djokovic is highly likely to overtake the pair by the end of the year.

Almost the perennial No. 3 in the Men's Singles ATP world rankings, Djokovic has made an explosive start to 2011, winning 18 straight matches and taking three titles, including the Australian Open. His form has seen him rise above Federer in the world rankings to No. 2, where he has Nadal firmly in his sights and can get closer still if he can repeat the dose this week at the Miami Masters.

He has confirmed that his form currently is on a higher plane than either Nadal or Federer by defeating both of them at least week’s Masters 1000 at Indian Wells. At the Australian Open in January, he knocked out Federer in the semifinal and took Andy Murray apart in the final, playing some of the best hard-court tennis ever witnessed.

His victory in the Indian Wells final last week over Nadal forced the Spaniard to admit that Djokovic is in the best position to finish the year as No. 1, and that as it stood right now, he was the best player in the world.

Incredibly, the win at Indian Wells was the first Masters 1000 title for Djokovic since he won in Paris in 2009. He now has six of these titles to his name but would need to grab at least another one during the year if he is to make the No. 1 spot. With the clay-court season fast approaching, Nadal will obviously be the man they all have to beat, particularly as he won all clay-court tournaments he entered in 2010, including a fifth win at the French Open.

Given that he will probably not get the better of Nadal on clay, it is interesting to note that the Serb has entered the Aegon Championship in London in June, which shows good intent to prepare himself fully for his bid to win a Wimbledon crown for the first time. Djokovic has never really been at his best on grass, but there is no doubt that he has the game to win. Add good form and extra determination, and he could topple Nadal quite easily to take a second Grand Slam of the year.

Apart from Djokovic, other players who have been impressing this year include Juan Martin del Potro, winner of the 2009 US Open, and Richard Gasquet.

The Argentine del Potro more or less missed the entire year last year due to a wrist injury, but he has got himself back to 51st in the world rankings following a win in a Masters 250 tournament last month and a semifinal place last week at Indian Wells, where he lost to Nadal in the semifinal.

Gasquet, after a troubled couple of years, is back into the top 20 in the world and could be a man to follow for the rest of the year. The one-time world-ranked No. 7 looks like he has rediscovered the spark that made him one of the most exciting prospects in the world a few years ago. Still only 24, the right-handed Frenchman reached the quarterfinal at Indian Wells last week and the semifinal in Dubai last month.

There's no doubting who the man of the moment is right now though, and that's Djokovic. Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not he'll knock Nadal off the No. 1 spot in the rankings, you wouldn't bet against it!