24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic officially announced his withdrawal from the Paris Masters. Djokovic will not defend his title at the event that is set to begin next week. The 37-year-old Serbian confirmed the news on his Instagram Story, “I have a lot of great memories winning seven titles there and hope to be back with you next year.” Djokovic could jeopardize his chances to qualify for the year-end ATP Finals featuring the top eight players in the race. He currently holds the sixth spot in the race for the season’s final event spanning November 10-17.
Djokovic’s Absence Raises Some Questions
Novak Djokovic won the Paris Masters last year and backed that triumph up with a commanding victory in the ATP Finals in Turin. These two wins secured the Serb a huge haul of 2,300 ranking points and they could all fall off if he fails to play in Paris and the ATP Finals in Italy. The Paris Olympics gold medalist currently holds the sixth spot in the race to the ATP Finals. Four top players Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev have already secured their spot at the event.
His absence from Paris also raises questions about his fitness. The 2024 season has not been a great one for Djokovic as for the first time in seven years, he failed to win a Grand Slam. His best achievement in a major event came at Wimbledon. He lost in the final to Alcaraz.
He also had issues with his right knee this year that forced him to withdraw from the French Open. But, he made it to win the Olympic gold afterward. After that, Novak Djokovic stated that he was no longer motivated to take part in every ATP event. He would like to focus on big events such as the Grand Slams, Davis Cup, and the Olympics.
Novak Djokovic Beat Rafael Nadal In Their Final Meeting
Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6 (5) in their third-place match at the Six King Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia. Djokovic won the match between rivals who have 46 combined Grand Slam titles. Nadal, who won 22 Slam titles, is set to take his last official appearance before retirement at the Davis Cup next month.
Novak Djokovic also won their last meeting at the Paris Olympic Games to set him completing the “Golden Slam” in July. The Serbian, with 24 Grand Slam titles, is the only male player to have won more than Nadal. Djokovic had won 31 of their 60 ATP Tour and Grand Slam meetings before their last meeting at the Six King Slam. The pair shared a warm embrace at the net at the end and went on to give an emotional tribute to each other.
A New Challenge For Djokovic
Despite his decision not to play at big ATP events in Paris, Novak Djokovic claimed that he still wanted to add to his record-breaking haul of major titles in 2025. But this plan won’t work smoothly as his place in the ATP rankings would possibly be outside of the top eight places. He could play against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round at the Australian Open. He could conceivably face the prospect of winning four consecutive matches against top 10 opponents to win in Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic is regarded as the greatest player in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category in the Open era. He completed his record with a “Golden Slam” this year. So, he might have some new strategies that work best for him starting next year.
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