Defending champion Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the ATP Tour Finals due to injury, bringing his 2024 season to an end.
The 37-year-old has won the Tour Finals in Turin in the last two seasons, and seven times overall, but Djokovic is not fit enough to compete having also pulled out of last week’s Paris Masters.
It means the 24-time grand slam champion, who last featured in the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia, finishes the year with the Olympic gold medal being his only title.
Djokovic completed the career golden slam by winning his elusive Olympic gold in a memorable final victory over Carlos Alcaraz, but ending the season on one title is his lowest return in 19 years as a professional.
The Serbian competed in just 11 tournaments, also reaching the finals of Wimbledon and Shanghai, and is ending his season now to prepare for 2025. Serbia did not qualify for the Davis Cup finals.
Djokovic had qualified automatically for the ATP Finals but his withdrawal means Alex De Minaur and Andrey Rublev are confirmed for the eight-player tournament in Turin. They join Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud.
“It’s quite an honour to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin. I was really looking forward to being there, but due to an ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week,” Djokovic posted on Instagram.
“Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament, see you soon.”
Djokovic defeated Sinner to win the ATP Finals for a seventh time in 2023 but then lost to the Italian at the Australian Open in January. Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz swept the grand slams in 2024.
By not defending his ATP Finals title, Djokovic will drop out of the world’s top four ahead of the first major of the year in Melbourne in 2025, meaning that he could face either Sinner or Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
Djokovic is one grand slam away from owning the singles record outright, ahead of Margaret Court, and is also one tournament away from joining Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors in the century club on 100 career titles.
