Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP Finals: Why did the Serbian star pull out?

Novak Djokovic recently defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final of the ATP 250 in Athens, securing his 101st ATP circuit title and narrowing the gap with Roger Federer, who holds 103 career titles. However, immediately following his title win, the Serbian star surprised the tennis world by announcing his withdrawal from the ATP Finals in Turin.

After weeks of speculation as to whether Djokovic would play, the tournament—which gathers the top eight players in the rankings—will ultimately be without the men’s all-time Grand Slam leader. In his place, Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti will step in, as he holds the No. 9 spot in the ATP rankings.

Despite having secured his spot in the tournament, tying Roger Federer’s record for the most ATP Finals qualifications with 18, Djokovic announced via his social media that an ongoing injury prevents him from competing in Turin.

“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,” Djokovic wrote on social media. “I’m truly sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play — your support means so much. I wish all the players an amazing tournament, and I can’t wait to be back on the court with you all soon!”

Novak Djokovic’s official statement. (@djokernole)

How the ATP Finals groups were determined

The ATP Finals in Turin is divided into two groups of four players each. Matches are best-of-three sets with a tie-break, and only the top two players from each group will advance. The winners of each group will be placed on opposite sides of the semifinal bracket, where they will face the second-place finisher from the opposite group.

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The tournament is set to kick off on Sunday, November 9th, and will run for one week until the 16th. Carlos Alcaraz will play the inaugural match against Alex de Minaur.

The final groups are structured as follows:

Bjorn Borg Group:

• Jannik Sinner
• Alexander Zverev
• Ben Shelton
• Felix Auger-Aliassime

Jimmy Connors Group:

• Carlos Alcaraz
• Tayor Fritz
• Lorenzo Musetti
• Alex De Minaur