Novak Djokovic, the seven-time ATP Finals champion, has officially withdrawn from this year’s season-ending tournament due to a persistent shoulder injury. This decision comes shortly after he secured his 101st title at the Hellenic Championship in Athens.
In his absence, Lorenzo Musetti, who reached the final against Djokovic and was edged out in a closely contested match, will step in to compete in Turin as the ATP Finals commence this Sunday. The final score of the match was 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in favor of Djokovic.
Djokovic expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, “I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best. But after today’s final in Athens, I’m sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury.” This marks a continuation of injury challenges, as he also missed last year’s event due to similar circumstances.
The injury has reportedly been a concern for Djokovic throughout his tournament in Athens. He indicated that he delayed the decision to withdraw until he could assess his performance in the matches. “That’s the reason why I decided not to make a call would I go to Turin or not earlier because I wanted to see how the matches go, how I react,” he explained during a press conference.
Despite his hopes for recovery, Djokovic noted that the condition of his shoulder did not improve, even prior to the match. “I had to take all the strong medications to be able to play the match,” he shared. Ultimately, he concluded that participating at the required level in Turin was not feasible. “I felt there’s no chance for me to go through the entire tournament in Turin with the required level of tennis when you’re playing the best eight in the world,” he remarked.
Musetti’s qualification for the ATP Finals is notable as it marks the first instance of two Italian singles players competing in the same edition of the tournament. Musetti had to defeat Djokovic to surpass Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the rankings to secure his spot, making his appearance in Turin particularly significant. Alexander Bublik has been designated as the first alternate for the tournament, stepping in should any additional withdrawals occur.