Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP Monte Carlo Masters 2026

Djokovic has now pulled out from consecutive ATP-1000 events.

The Monte Carlo Masters 2026 just got a little less star-studded as tournament organisers confirmed on Friday that Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2026 edition of the clay-court Masters 1000 event, releasing a brief statement on Instagram that read: “Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the tournament. We send him our best wishes and hope to see him back on court very soon.”

The withdrawal comes on the back of a shoulder injury that has been causing the 38-year-old considerable trouble over the past several weeks.

Djokovic had already pulled out of the Miami Open earlier, with the Serb describing himself as feeling “out of gas” during his fourth-round defeat to Great Britain’s Jack Draper at Indian Wells.

That was three weeks ago and the shoulder clearly has not improved enough for him to take on the demands of clay-court tennis at the highest level, and Djokovic, who has always been measured about his body, has opted to sit this one out rather than risk aggravating things further.

What makes this particularly notable is the streak it ends. Djokovic had not missed the tournament in France since 2011, therefore ending a run of over a decade of consecutive appearances at Monte Carlo. That kind of loyalty to a tournament makes the absence feel significant.

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Djokovic and Monte Carlo have a complicated but respectful relationship. He won the title twice in 2013 and 2015, but the tournament has largely belonged to Rafael Nadal over the years, with the Spaniard winning the event 11 times. Still, Djokovic always showed up, always competed, and always took the clay season seriously.

It has been a year of extremes for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who started the season with a magnificent outing at the Australian Open, producing a sensational semi-final performance against Jannik Sinner, before ultimately falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

But since then, the shoulder has steadily eaten into his season, costing him Indian Wells, Miami and now Monte Carlo.

Djokovic did not defend any points at Monte Carlo last year, having been eliminated in the round of 32 by Alejandro Tabilo in the 2025 edition, so the withdrawal does not trigger significant rankings drop. He is currently at No. 4 and could slip further depending on the performances of his rivals.

Also Read: Top five oldest men’s singles champions at Monte Carlo Masters

With Monte Carlo gone, all roads now point to Roland Garros in late May, the tournament where Djokovic claimed his 23rd Grand Slam title in 2023. There are events between now and Paris, including Madrid and Rome, but Djokovic might decide to directly appear for the major event.

Some reports also indicate discussions of skipping the entire clay season, to be ready for grass, however, there is no official confirmation about the same from the Djokovic camp.

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