 "Novak Djokovic is currently participating at the inaugural ATP Hellenic Championships in Athens, Greece, and will be taking a call on his participation in the season-ending ATP Finals after the event. Reuters")
Uncertainty persists over Novak Djokovic’s participation in the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin despite the 24-time Grand Slam champion being included in the draw on Thursday. Djokovic, who is currently participating in the inaugural ATP Hellenic Championships in Athens, has been drawn in the Jimmy Connors Group alongside top seed Carlos Alcaraz as well as Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur.
And the Serbian superstar has indicated that he will be taking a call on his participation in the season-ending event after the conclusion of the ATP 250 event, in which he was scheduled to face Portugual’s Nuno Borges in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Uncertainty over eighth and final ATP Finals spot
The eighth and final spot for the ATP finals is yet to be decided, with Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti currently battling it out to feature in the 56th edition of the prestigious event. Auger-Aliassime is currently eighth in the ATP’s ‘Race to Turin’ rankings with Musetti one place below him. The latter, however, can clinch the final spot if he goes on to win the Hellenic Championship.
“We are waiting on the identity of our eighth player. By way of explanation, we have Lorenzo Musetti, who will qualify if he wins the current event in Athens. Anything less and the position will go to Felix Auger-Aliassime,” ATP Tour supervisor Gerry Armstrong was quoted by The Daily Express as saying.
What happens if Djokovic withdraws from the 2025 ATP Finals?
If seven-time ATP Finals champion Djokovic decides to withdraw from the season-ending event for the second consecutive year, then his spot in the Jimmy Connors Group will be awarded either to Auger-Aliassime or Musetti – whoever finishes ninth and does not secure direct qualification for the event.
Italian tennis federation president Angelo Binaghi had recently claimed that he had received “confirmation” that Djokovic would be part of the upcoming competition, which runs from 9 to 16 November at the Inalpi Arena. Djokovic, however, dismissed the claim after collecting a victory in his opening game at Athens , maintaining an air of uncertainty around his trip to Turin.
The Hellenic Championship concludes on Saturday, a day before the ATP Finals is to get underway. And if Djokovic is to pull out of the event after featuring in the final, he will be giving the organisers of the season-ending event less than a day to make alternate arrangements.
While Djokovic has been included in the Jimmy Connors Group, world No 1 Jannik Sinner – seeded second in Turin – has been included in the Bjorn Borg Group along with Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton, with either Auger-Aliassime or Musetti set to join them.