• What the Deuce

Don't ruin the race for No. 1

Novak Djokovic is on course to overtake Rafael Nadal as world No. 1 © PA Photos

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As the seemingly invincible Novak Djokovic closes in on Rafael Nadal's No. 1 ranking, the Spaniard has once again called for a change to the rankings system.

Nadal believes the rankings, currently on a 12-month cycle, should be based on a two-year system to allow for greater flexibility to injured players.

Juan Martin del Potro, who missed the vast majority of the 2010 season with a wrist injury, plummeted from No. 4 in the rankings in January 2010 to 485 at the end of the year.

Del Potro's return to form this season has seen him rise to No. 26 following titles at Delray Beach and Estoril, but in a two-year ranking system he would not have been seeded as low at Roland Garros.

That would mean that Djokovic's crowd-drawing third-round clash against Del Potro would not have happened until deeper into the second week.

Nadal's argument is partly a selfish one. The Spaniard, who has struggled with knee problems, knows that a two-year ranking cycle would allow him to skip tournaments when he currently feels obliged to play in order to protect his ranking points.

"To have fewer problems on this is to have two years of ranking, not only one year," Nadal said. "For sure if you stop being No. 5 in the world, you are not going to be No. 6 when you come back, but maybe you are going to be 14 or 15. If you have an injury for three months, five months, you are done."

A two-year ranking cycle would not see players disappear into oblivion. Del Potro is an extreme case, but Nikolay Davydenko slipped to 42 having been as high as sixth at the beginning of last year.

Rankings calculations carry all sorts of complications, caveats and connotations and so it is impossible to say for sure just how the current rankings would look, but it is fair to say that Djokovic would not be closing in on the No. 1 spot.

Roger Federer could still be ranked No. 1 on a two-year cycle © PA Photos

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Based on results from the major tournaments; that is grand slams, Masters 1000 events and the year-end championships, Federer and Nadal would be virtually neck-and-neck at the top. Djokovic, meanwhile, would be around 4000 points behind.

For the first time since 2003, Federer does not have a grand slam title in his posession and the Swiss would be the first person to admit he has not been anywhere near his dominant best since his Australian Open victory last season. Though he may well be the greatest player to have ever graced a tennis court, few would claim he is currently the best player on the ATP Tour.

Take a look at the official world golf rankings. Based on a two-year cycle, Luke Donald has just been crowned the new world No. 1, overtaking Lee Westwood at the top of the rankings.

Tiger Woods has dominated the game for the best part of a decade, but despite not winning a title since November 2009, the American remained at the top of the pile until the end of October last year, when he was surpassed by Westwood, who had been the world's most consistent player for the best part of six months.

Since topping the rankings last October, Westwood's form has been indifferent, while Donald has been the in-form player on the men's tour.

While a two-year rankings cycle would undoubtedly take the pressure off the top players, it is not an accurate reflection of the world's best players.

Few would argue that Djokovic has been the best player in the world this year, and that stunning form is set to be rewarded as he closes in on the No. 1 ranking - he is just one win away from ending Federer and Nadal's seven-year duopoly at the top of the men's game.

On a two-year rankings cycle, Djokovic would still be some way off that top spot. The race for the rankings has been a fascinating subplot this season, and while there is no doubt there is a lot of pressure on players' bodies, changing the rankings system is not the way to solve the problem.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.