Novak Djokovic has reportedly announced that he will not defend his title at the Rolex Paris Masters, while his participation in the ATP Finals is also in doubt.
Despite playing at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Riyadh last weekend, including a final showdown with Rafael Nadal, Djokovic has withdrawn from the final Masters 1000 tournament of the year, according to Serbian media outlet Sport Klub.
Last year, Djokovic - the record winner at the ATP Finals - won his seventh title at the tournament after beating Grigor Dimitrov in the final.
No specific reason was given, but Sport Klub writes: “On Saturday, Djokovic played a match against Rafael Nadal as part of an event in Riyadh, and in a conversation with journalists there, he said that only after that event did he plan for the possibility of participating in some tournaments until the end of the season.
Even earlier, Novak said that he would not play at the ATP 250 tournament in Belgrade, and with the current situation, it is certain that we will not see Djokovic until the end of the season.
Given the results in Shanghai – where Djokovic reached the final – he would be in the top eight and have a place at the ATP Finals in Turin even if he didn't play in Bersa. The big question now, however, is whether he will be there, and it's highly unlikely.
It is increasingly certain that Djokovic's next tournament will be the Australian Open, which starts on January 12 next year.
The Rolex Paris Masters starts next Monday (October 28) and ends on November 3.
