djokovic
Novak Djokovic will finish 2012 as the No. 1 ATP player for the second year in a row. Reuters

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic will return to the top of the ATP rankings this week, and will finish the year as the world's No. 1 player, according to the ATP Tour.

Roger Federer has held the No. 1 spot since July but can not earn enough points to clinch the prestigious honor, as Djokovic becomes the first player do it back-to-back since the Swiss star finished there from 2004-2007.

Federer, 31, lost to Juan Martin del Potro on Sunday in the Swiss Indoor final, and pulled out of next week's Paris tournament. The Basel native has not won a title since defeating Djokovic in the ATP Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati in August.

Djokovic has 70 wins and 11 losses this year, and has earned $8.17 million in 2012. The 25-year-old has won five tournaments this year, including the the Australian Open.

The ATP will present him a trophy at next week's season-ending World Tour Finals in London. Djokovic has won 10-straight matches since losing to Andy Murray at the U.S. Open.

He recently won the ATP China Open, and the Shanghai Rolex Masters.

Murray is currently No. 3 in the world, followed by Spaniards Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer.