Djokovic Withdraws from Paris Masters: A Clear Path to a 2026 Comeback?

Djokovic withdraws from Paris Masters

Novak Djokovic, the Serb who turns 39 next year, announced on Tuesday that he will not participate in the Paris Masters 1000, scheduled from October 27 to November 2.

The 38-year-old seven-time champion made the announcement on Instagram, stating, “Unfortunately, I won’t play in Paris this year.”

He added that he has wonderful memories and many bright moments there over the years and expressed hope to compete again next year.

Djokovic will not play at Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, since the event relocated this year after nearly four decades in Bercy, east of the city.

French former player Cedric Pioline told AFP last week that it would be “wonderful” to see Djokovic listed among possible winners in two venues, underscoring the expectation that Djokovic remains selective about his schedule this year.

Coming off a selective 2025 run, Djokovic had only recently recovered his rhythm after a tough US Open semi-final loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows in early September, returning roughly a month later for the Shanghai Masters 1000.

The Serb then exited the Shanghai semi-finals after dealing with some physical discomfort in hot conditions, losing to Valentin Vacherot of Monaco who went on to win the title over his French cousin Arthur Rinderknech.

He had also withdrawn from the doubles-figure match for third place in the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh last week after losing the opening set in a tiebreak.

Djokovic is expected to return to the court at the Athens event (250 points) scheduled November 2–8.

It was confirmed that Djokovic has qualified for the 2025 season-ending finals in Turin after the draw for Basel and Vienna, anchoring his place with the other early entrants like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

One of Djokovic’s standout achievements this season was his century of ATP Tour titles, achieved at Geneva, making him only the third player in the Open Era to reach 100 titles after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer.

He has continued to be a formidable presence at Grand Slams, reaching the semifinals at all four majors this season, and also advancing to the Miami Masters final and a Shanghai semifinal, at age 38.

Djokovic’s enduring legacy at year-end

This marks Djokovic’s eighth consecutive year-end qualification. He first competed in the season-ending event in 2007 at age 20 and had missed it only in 2017 due to injury.

He claimed his first year-end title in 2008 and last lifted the trophy in 2023, extending his record to seven titles at the season finale. This year’s finals are set to be held in Turin from November 9–16.

Apologies and reflections

Djokovic withdrew from the bronze-medal match at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh after losing the opening set in a deciding tiebreak, and Taylor Fritz remarked that conditions had slowed the game considerably, making it hard to land decisive blows.

Alcaraz’s assessment of Sinner

In the same event, Carlos Alcaraz conceded that Yannick Sinner was the better player in the final, after losing 6-2, 6-4 to him, lamenting he did not win a single break point in the match.

Alcaraz described Sinner as playing “extremely well” and said facing him is always challenging, especially indoors where the pace and precision demand nothing less than perfection.

The next challenge for Alcaraz

Alcaraz will close the season with three indoor-outdoor court events on the indoor-hard circuit and will try to maintain the No. 1 ranking. He noted that competing against Sinner in closed spaces is particularly tough, given Sinner’s indoor prowess.

Impressive numbers for Alcaraz

Despite his youth, Alcaraz has amassed a remarkable tally of Grand Slam titles, a figure he keeps expanding as he pursues more records. He has acknowledged how difficult it is to surpass the all-time lists, including the record for most weeks at No. 1, which Djokovic has held for over 400 weeks and counting.

Alcaraz also emphasized that his goal remains to collect as many Grand Slams as possible, a target many players would tag as the ultimate prize, while admiring Djokovic’s continued dominance across the calendar.

As the season draws to a close, the focus remains on Turin, Athens, and the indoor circuit where the coming weeks could reshape the final standings for the year’s top players. The competition is heating up, and the fans are ready for a dramatic finish to 2025.

Punchline 1: If Djokovic’s serve had a sense of humor, it would be a fault that laughs at your feet every time you chase it. Punchline 2: In tennis, timing is everything—Djokovic’s calendar is basically a calendar of comebacks, with a wink and a winner’s smile.