"Sorry to everyone": Novak Djokovic confirms withdrawal from Paris Masters
Novak Djokovic has confirmed his withdrawal from the upcoming edition of the Paris Masters. The Serbian boasts an enviable record at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, with an unmatched tally of 7 titles to his name. In fact, had the 37-year-old not pulled out of the upcoming edition, he would have played as the defending champion in Paris. Last year, the Serb beat Bulgarian ace Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to take the title home. Now, with his absence from the Paris Masters, the ongoing ATP season seems to have already ended for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Novak Djokovic withdraws from Paris Masters, indicates an early end to the 2024 ATP Tour
Following speculations around his absence from the Paris Masters, Novak Djokovic, on Wednesday, confirmed his decision to withdraw from the ATP Masters 1000 event. While the Serbian didn’t cite any reason for pulling out of the season, he remained optimistic about returning for the next edition. Moreover, the Serb, whose last appearance in the ongoing season came in the third-place match against Rafael Nadal in Riyadh for the Six Kings Slam exhibition, apologized to his fans who hoped to see him on the court once again.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be playing the Paris Masters this year,” Djokovic shared on Instagram. “I have a lot of great memories, winning seven titles, and I hope to be back with you next year. Sorry to everyone who was hoping to see me there,” Djokovic stated in his message.
Novak Djokovic in the 2024 ATP Tour
The 2024 ATP season is the first since 2017 for the Serbian to fare without even a single Grand Slam victory. However, the season will still be marked as another successful one for the champion. While Djokovic didn’t lay claim to a Grand Slam in 2024, one of his long-awaited dreams came true when he finally won the Olympic gold. Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz in the final at the Paris Olympics to claim the gold medal, simultaneously avenging his defeat in the Wimbledon final earlier this year.
Following his win at the Paris Olympics, Djokovic and Alcaraz both exited the US Open shockingly in the early rounds of the event. Djokovic explained that the fatigue from competing at the Olympics rendered him unable to aim for a top finish at the Grand Slam tournament. Subsequently, Djokovic observed a break during the China Open before returning to the court for the Shanghai Masters. The Serbian seemed to be back at the top of his game as he edged past the likes of Jakub Mensik and Taylor Fritz to enter the final of the ATP event. However, despite giving a tough fight to the current World No. 1, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic lost the title by a close margin as the reigning US Open champion beat him 7-6, 6-3.
From the Shanghai Masters, Novak Djokovic headed to Riyadh for the inaugural season of the Six Kings Slam exhibition event. The event called up the top six stars of the tennis world to set up the show in Saudi Arabia. Djokovic, along with Rafael Nadal, received respective byes to directly enter the semi-finals of the three-day-long tournament. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner beat Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev, respectively, to extend their reach to the semis. In the semi-finals, Alcaraz clashed against his compatriot Rafael Nadal and subsequently beat him in straight sets. Moreover, Jannik Sinner brushed past Novak Djokovic to set up the final clash against Alcaraz.
As Alcaraz and Sinner eyed the top prize of $6 million, Djokovic met his long-time rival Nadal in the third-place match. The match bore remarkable significance as it was the last time Djokovic would face Nadal. Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis after the Davis Cup finals in November. Thus, the Six Kings Slam event match turned out to be an emotional one, as both tennis legends bid goodbye to their embellished rivalry.
Can Djokovic still qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals?
Novak Djokovic, despite missing out on the Paris Masters, holds a slim chance to qualify for the ATP Finals ahead. The Serbian is currently in the sixth position in the top 8 who are eligible to compete. However, with the likes of Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud accumulating crucial points at the Swiss Indoor tournament, it is highly likely that Djokovic will lose his place in the ATP Finals. So far, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev have cemented their positions in the Nitto ATP Finals, leaving just four spots open to claim. Consequently, Djokovic’s exit from the Paris Masters is a nearly confirmed indication that Djokovic has already concluded the 2024 ATP season.
