After winning only 2 matches by mid-April, where does Novak Djokovic’s qualification for the ATP finals rank amongst the most unlikely of finishes to a season ?

Novak Djokovic’s 2022 will be remembered in history as one of the most entertaining individual seasons in recent memory. After flying to Australia in a bid to win his 10th Australian Open title, Djokovic instead spent the lead-up to the first grand slam of the year holed up in refugee detention. In that time, Djokovic surprisingly kept his focus and spirits up very high, knowing that he could very well be playing on Rod Laver Arena if the Federal Court decision went in his favour. Shockingly, despite the Federal Court of Australia ruling in favour of Novak Djokovic being allowed to stay in Australia, the immigration minister decided to wield his power to remove Djokovic from the country.

Nevertheless, for the opening few months of the year, many of his colleagues had already got off to a flying start. For instance, by April 12th, Miomir Kecmanovic had already played 27 matches, including making the  quarter finals of Indian Wells and Miami, as well as quarter finals at the Chile Open and Rio Open. Over that period, Kecmanovic managed to also make the last 16 of the Australian Open. Djokovic, on the other hand, played 4 matches and won 2 in that time period (until mid-April).

Yet despite being 4 months deep into the calendar, Djokovic over the next few months clawed back from the abyss to try and save his season. Over the next 2 months, Djokovic won Rome and Wimbledon, made the final of the Serbia Open, and made the semi-final at the Madrid Masters. He also made the quarter final of Roland Garros and had alate surge in September to win back-to-back titles at the Astana and Tel Aviv opens.

All in all, after a ridiculously long lay-off from competition due to vaccine mandates in both the US and Australia, Novak Djokovic seriously looked to have hit his stride again in 2022. Momentum was always going to be the Achilles heel for Djokovic, but qualifying for the ATP Finals? In April, most pundits of the game gave it no chance. Djokovic in 2022 ramped up a momentous comeback to the sport. Compared to his rivals over the opening 4 months of the year (Kecmanovic -24 matches, Djere- 17 matches, Davidovich-Fokina- 19 matches), he really played next to nothing with those 4 matches in that stretch.

So given the history of the ATP finals, what are the most unlikely qualifications for ATP finals we have seen over the history of men’s tennis?