2025 PARIS MASTERS WITHOUT NOVAK DJOKOVIC AFTER SUDDEN WITHDRAWAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2025 Paris Masters, forgoing a chance at a record 8th title. The 24-time Grand Slam champ, who also missed last year's event, is managing his schedule after a recent retirement in Riyadh.
Novak Djokovic withdrew from the ATP Masters 1000 event one week before the 2025 Paris Masters, meaning he will not be competing.
At the Paris Masters, Djokovic will not contend for a record-tying eighth championship. In the event's history, no one has been more successful than the renowned Serbian, but the 38-year-old will not add his 18th appearance.
In his last five visits, the 24-time Grand Slam champion made it to the final three times and took home the trophy. But Djokovic missed the ceremony last year and will not be attending this year either.
After losing to Jannik Sinner in the semi-final of the Six Kings Slam, Djokovic retired following the opening set of his match against Taylor Fritz in the third round. Given his recent physical issues, it did not seem reasonable to expect Djokovic to compete in ATP events after he retired, even during an exhibition.
Sadly, those worries came true for the former world number one player's admirers. Djokovic will not participate in the first Paris Masters, which will take place in the La Défense Arena, the event's new location.
Although Novak Djokovic qualified for the ATP Finals, it is unlikely that he will play.
Djokovic qualified for his 18th ATP Finals just a few days earlier. The Serbian player qualified for the tournament last year but did not compete, so if he decides to go, it will be "just" his 17th time.
Djokovic will have to make a new decision this year about his participation in Turin. The Serbian star can contend for his seventh title in the year-end championships if he makes it to the ATP Finals.
After withdrawing from the Paris Masters, what will happen to Novak Djokovic next?
In a brief statement, Djokovic discussed his intentions for the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. At the moment, it was unclear which tournaments he was referring to when he said he would try his hardest to get ready for the final two events of the season.
It now appears quite likely that Djokovic will participate in the Athens Open, an ATP 250 competition in his new home and an event hosted by his brother Djordje, following his withdrawal from the Paris Masters.
The ATP Finals would be the only other competition that Djokovic could have alluded to. Fans of the Serbian can anticipate an exciting final few weeks if all goes according to plan.
Djokovic may not feel completely prepared to compete, though, as was the case in Riyadh or with his participation in the Paris Masters. The 24-time major winner's season would therefore be done, and the Australian Open would probably be his next event.
WHY DID 22 PLAYERS SUDDENLY WITHDRAW FROM THE 2026 ITALIAN OPEN MID-TOURNAMENT?
Discover the full list of injured stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, forced out of the 2026 Italian Open.
At the 2026 Italian Open, the number of players who have withdrawn or retired during matches has climbed to 22, spanning both the ATP and WTA competitions.
By midweek, 17 players had already exited the combined ATP/WTA 1000 event in Rome. Since then, an additional three men and two women have followed suit.
Before the draws were even announced on Monday, prominent names like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, and Marketa Vondrousova had pulled out. On the opening day of the women’s tournament, Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu also withdrew.
Amanda Anisimova, ranked sixth in the WTA, stepped back before her first match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, who is ninth in the world, withdrew before playing on Friday because of a gastrointestinal illness.
Valentin Vacherot, the 16th-ranked player on the ATP tour, pulled out shortly before his scheduled second-round match against Marin Cilic on Friday, citing a foot injury.
Tomas Machac, holding the 41st spot in the men's rankings, also withdrew ahead of his second-round encounter with Daniil Medvedev after an impactful win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in round one.
Arthur Fils, ranked 17th, retired during his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday, trailing 0-4, due to hip pain.
Here’s a rundown of the withdrawals on the ATP side: Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) was replaced by Sebastian Ofner; Taylor Fritz (No. 7) by Zachary Svajda; Valentin Vacherot (No. 16) by Martin Landaluce; Arthur Rinderknech (No. 24) by Aleksandar Kovacevic; Holger Rune (No. 40) by Damir Dzumhur; Gabriel Diallo (No. 46) by Alexander Blockx; Jack Draper (No. 50) by Hamad Medjedovic; Raphael Collignon (No. 68) by Alexandre Muller; Reilly Opelka (No. 74) by Aleksandar Vukic; Arthur Cazaux (No. 73) by Mattia Bellucci; Kamil Majchrzak (No. 76) by Roberto Bautista Agut; and Eliot Spizzirri (No. 92) by James Duckworth.
On the WTA side, Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) was replaced by Elena Gabriela Ruse from Romania; Victoria Mboko (No. 9) by Nikola Bartunkova; Marta Kostyuk (No. 15) by Ajla Tomljanovic; Emma Raducanu (No. 30) by Lilli Tagger; Marketa Vondrousova (No. 44) by Solana Sierra; Sonay Kartal (No. 56) by Zeynep Sonmez; Varvara Gracheva (No. 61) by Eva Lys; and Veronika Kudermetova (No. 70) by Petra Marcinko.
THE "REST OVER REPS" PLAN: WHY JANNIK SINNER IS SNUBBING HALLE FOR WIMBLEDON
After 23 consecutive wins, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner adjusts his schedule to target a Career Grand Slam and Wimbledon glory.
Jannik Sinner has already logged a heavy schedule this year, with deep runs in recent Masters 1000 tournaments keeping him on court against top-tier competition regularly. Given this demanding stretch, he’s taken a fresh look at his calendar and decided to skip the Halle Open, carving out a three-week break between Roland Garros and his Wimbledon title defence.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion won’t be heading to Germany for the grass-court event. That’s notable since Sinner claimed that Wimbledon crown in impressive fashion, overcoming two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz to secure his first major title away from hardcourts. That victory was his latest Grand Slam, following Alcaraz’s wins at the previous two majors.
After Roland Garros, where he seeks to complete the career Grand Slam, Sinner plans to recharge rather than pile on more tournaments before Wimbledon. Without Alcaraz in sight, he’s considered a favourite to maintain his remarkable run. His recent haul includes titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and, most recently, Madrid. Now, he’s setting his sights on Rome, his home turf, where he’s never clinched a win but is eager to continue an ambitious streak of Masters 1000 victories, aiming for a sixth in a row.
Post-Rome, he’ll take a week off before the French Open begins. In total, Sinner has played 23 matches over the last two months without tasting defeat. If he wants to lift the Rome trophy, he’ll need to notch six more wins, then potentially battle through seven more rounds in Paris. This demanding schedule partly explains his choice to forgo Halle.
As for the 2026 Halle Open, fans might be disappointed not to see the world number one, but the field remains strong. Heading the draw is Alexander Zverev, a local favourite who has yet to claim a grass-court title or even one on home soil. With Sinner out, this could be a prime opportunity for Zverev to break through.
The American players are also well represented. The U.S. hasn’t seen a finalist here since Mardy Fish in 2004, but Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton might be poised to change that, especially Fritz, who has already shown grass prowess with titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne last year.
Defending champion Alexander Bublik, who ousted Sinner on his way to victory and took down Daniil Medvedev in the final, will be back aiming to repeat. Alongside him, names like Andrey Rublev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe are also set to compete. The tournament runs from June 15 to 21, promising plenty of exciting tennis.
