by Novak Djokovic’s brother Djordje admitted he is not sure why the tennis legend will not defend his Paris Masters title. Djokovic, 37, recently withdrew from the competition he won last year without explanation or warning.
He dropped the Eiffel Tower-sized bombshell on Wednesday, three days before the game begins on October 26th. Djokovic won the competition last year by defeating Grigo Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
His surprise exit could have a huge impact as it is not guaranteed that he will qualify for November’s ATP Finals in Turin, which could potentially signal the end of his tennis season this year. When asked about his brother’s plans, the 29-year-old was also confused about the situation.
Speaking to Serbian magazine Sport, Djordje said: “I’m not sure if he knows at the moment. Honestly, it’s a decision for him, his team and his family.
“He had a very busy year, which he crowned with a gold medal at the Olympic Games. We also saw that he also canceled Paris, a week before Belgrade.”
Djokovic released a statement announcing his decision but did not explain the reasons behind it. He wrote: “Unfortunately I will not be playing at the Paris Masters this year. Sorry to everyone who was hoping to see me play there.”
“I wish all players, sponsors, organizers and fans a great tournament. I have many memories of winning seven titles there and hope to be with you again next year.”
Djokovic is currently ranked sixth in the “Race to Turin,” the ATP Finals event where the eight best players in the world compete in the season-ending competition. Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz, Alex Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz are currently ranked higher, while Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Alex De Minaur threaten to overtake him.
His decision not to defend his title in Paris will result in him losing a significant number of ranking points. Titles were in short supply for the 24-time Grand Slam winner this year.
His only major title was the Olympic gold medal, which he won in the French capital and which gave him his first victory over Alcaraz in 2024. This season was also the first since 2017 in which he failed to win a single Grand Slam.
Alcaraz defeated the Serb in straight sets to win Wimbledon in Djokovic’s only Grand Slam final. The world No. 2 also won the French Open, while the Italian world No. 1 Jannik Sinner won the US Open and the Australian Open.
