Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP Finals barely an hour after title win, clarifies reason

Djokovic beat Lorenzo Musetti on Saturday in a near three-hour final, rallying from a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory to win the Hellenic Championship. With the win, he set a men's record with his 72nd title on hard courts, one more than Roger Federer.

After lifting his 101st career title, the Belgrade native made the announcement on social media. "I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best, but after today's final in Athens, I regret to share that I must withdraw due to a continuing injury . I am so sorry to the fans who were looking forward to seeing me play; your support means so much to me. I wish all the players an amazing tournament, and I look forward to being back on the court with you all soon! " Djokovic, who won the ATP Finals seven times, wrote.

The decision means Musetti will take his place, even though his loss to Djokovic initially handed the final qualifying spot to Felix Auger-Aliassime.

"Lorenzo Musetti will compete in the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time following Djokovic's withdrawal due to a shoulder injury. He will replace Novak in the Jimmy Connors Group as a direct entry," the ATP confirmed on its official website.

This will be the first time the Italian will compete in the Tour Finals, which comes on the back of a stellar 2025 season, where he reached two finals, including a Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo, and made the semifinals in Madrid, Rome, and Vienna. He will kick off his campaign against Carlos Alcaraz.

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