World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who was vetoed from playing in the Australian Open because of his vaccination status, finally returned to the court in Dubai this week and received a warm welcome from the fans. He was cruising along in the ATP event until Thursday, where No. 123 ranked Jiri Vesely shocked the Serbian in the quarterfinals, losing 6-4, 7-6.

In the process, that means Djokovic will lose his No. 1 status as of Monday, with Daniil Medvedev set to become the top dog for the time being. It's the first time in 18 years a player not named Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer will be the No. 1 player in Men's Tennis:

This is truly the start of a new era in the sport. Djokovic is still playing at a high level, but as he continues to refuse to get vaccinated, the legend won't likely be able to play in other majors. As for Federer, he is on his last legs and continues to deal with injuries. Murray is in the same boat. While Nadal just won his record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam, he isn't exactly a spring chicken anymore, either.

Novak Djokovic won't be too worried about losing his #1 spot, but for Medvedev, it's huge. He's currently competing at the Mexican Open and will reach No. 1 for the first time in his young career. The Russian captured a US Open title last year and has finished as a runner-up in the Aussie Open in back-to-back tournaments.