Why will Novak Djokovic miss ATP Paris Masters 2024?

Novak Djokovic will miss the 2024 Paris Masters. 

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic last played at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 37-year-old’s first match in the middle east was a loss against Jannik Sinner in the Six Kings Slam 2024 semifinals. However, despite the defeat he managed to secure the third position in the tournament with a win over long-time rival and 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.

Before the Six Kings Slam, the Serbian tennis star was in action at the 2024 Shanghai Masters. He was playing in China for the first time since 2019 and reached the final of the ATP 1000 Masters event. However, he was beaten by Sinner in the title clash.

Djokovic started his campaign against America’s Alex Michelsen before he recorded a resounding victory over Italy’s Fabio Cobolli. In the round of 16, he took down Roman Safiullin and then took down Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals. The fourth seed stormed into the semifinals, where he faced 2024 US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz. 

The American tennis star gave a tough fight to Djokovic in the second set but eventually lost the match. In the final, the 24-time Grand Slam winner clashed against top seed Jannik Sinner and lost 7-6 (4), 6-4 to the Italian. With the runner-up finish, Djokovic put himself in a good position to qualify for the 2024 ATP Finals.

Also Read: Top five players who can still qualify for ATP Finals 2024

Novak Djokovic, a seven-time winner at the ATP Finals, has played limited tennis in 2024 and is yet to win a title this year—barring the Olympic gold at Paris. He excelled at the 2024 Paris Olympics, beating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the final to win the much-anticipated gold medal.

Why is Novak Djokovic not playing at Paris Masters 2024?

The 37-year-old is set to miss the 2024 Paris Masters, where he was the defending champion. Djokovic initially announced he will participate in Paris. However, it was a shock for the tennis world as he did the opposite of what he normally does. 

He later stated that he was prioritising his health and as a result, he would miss the ATP 1000 event. During the 2024 Davis Cup earlier this year, the Serbian tennis star revealed that his priorities in tennis have changed. He affirmed that he’s focusing more on Grand Slams and national tournaments.

Also Read: ‘I am sorry…’ – Novak Djokovic makes bold claim about retirement

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.”

However, the Serb can still play at the ATP Finals if any other players fail to cross the 4000-point mark. Alex de Minaur and Grigor Dimitrov are the potential candidates to overtake Djokovic in the race rankings, but they are required to perform well in Paris. 

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