Is Novak Djokovic's season over or will he play at ATP Finals 2024?

Novak Djokovic recently withdrew from the upcoming Paris Masters.

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has announced his withdrawal from Paris Masters 2024, which would have cemented his place in the ATP Finals.

During an interview at the 2024 Davis Cup, the Serb announced that he had changed his tennis priorities. The Serb stated that he would majorly play at the Grand Slams and for his nations. He affirmed that rankings and ATP Finals are no longer a priority for him.

Djokovic told the media, “I am not chasing a place on the ATP list, nor the Final Masters. Those are not my goals, honestly. As for me, I finished my career in other tournaments. I don’t know if I will play them in the future or this year. My priorities are playing for the national team and grand slams, everything else is less important.”

At the time, he was ninth in the race singles rankings. Then, Djokovic shocked the tennis world when he played at the Shanghai Masters for the first time in five years. Not only did he play, he also found his way to the summit clash, where he went down against Italy’s Jannik Sinner.

With the final finish, he jumped to sixth position in the race rankings, with Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev in the seventh and eighth spots, respectively. The 37-year-old also played at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he brawled against Jannik Sinner and Rafael Nadal.

After the Six Kings Slam concluded, the Serbian tennis ace withdrew from the Paris Masters. He decided due to health and fitness concerns. To stay at the pinnacle for a prolonged period, Djokovic has decided to prioritise his health in the busy tennis calendar.

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Novak Djokovic was the defending champion at the ATP 1000 event and omitting the tournament might become an issue for him. Djokovic’s withdrawal would be a blessing in disguise for the likes of Alex de Minaur and Tommy Paul, who are currently playing in Vienna.

Paul was eliminated in the second round in Paris last year. Thus, if he performs well in Vienna and Paris, he can find a spot in the ATP Finals line-up; he currently has 3100 points. Meanwhile, Alex de Minaur is currently ninth with 3405 points, despite facing several injury concerns throughout the season.

Casper Ruud (currently at 3845 points) would overtake Novak Djokovic with two wins in Basel. On the other hand, eighth-placed Andrey Rublev can cross the 4000-point mark if he wins the event in the Swiss city. The 24-time Grand Slam champion currently has 3910 points in the race rankings.

It is still possible for Djokovic to secure a position at the ATP Finals; however, he can face threats from a set of tennis stars, especially the ones who have more than 3000 points.

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