Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP finals in Turin due to injury

Novak Djokovic will miss the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin due to an ongoing injury, ending his hopes of defending his title at the prestigious season-ending event.

The Serbian tennis legend, who won a record seventh ATP Finals title in 2023 by defeating Jannik Sinner in the final, will not compete for only the second time since his debut in 2007.

His only previous absence came in 2017 when he was sidelined due to an elbow injury.

Djokovic last played in October at the lucrative Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, where he lost to Sinner before defeating Rafael Nadal.

Following that appearance, he withdrew from last week’s Paris Masters, and confirmed his decision to skip the ATP Finals in a message posted on Instagram.

“It’s quite an honor to qualify for the @nittoatpfinals in Turin. I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week,” Djokovic wrote. “Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon!”

This withdrawal marks the end of Djokovic’s 2024 season, during which he won just one title — a long-coveted Olympic gold medal in Paris.

The 37-year-old has contested only 11 tournaments this year.

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Despite a challenging season, Djokovic expressed his continued motivation to compete for major titles, even as he faces the retirement of long-time rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray.

The Serbian will enter the 2024 Australian Open in January outside the top four seeds, with his current ranking sitting at No. 6, though it is expected to fall further following his withdrawal.

With Djokovic absent, the field for the ATP Finals in Turin is now set, with Casper Ruud, Alex De Minaur, and Andrey Rublev joining Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Taylor Fritz in the competition, which begins on Sunday.