Novak Djokovic Delays Tour Return, Withdraws from ATP Doha

Former world #1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the ATP 500 event in Doha this upcoming week, delaying his return to the tour after a runner-up finish at the Australian Open to start the 2026 season.

This marks the second time already this season that Djokovic has withdrawn from a tournament, following his earlier decision not to play at the ATP Adelaide International in January.

A two-time champion in Doha, Djokovic will be unable to compete in this year’s edition of the Qatar Open, a tournament where he suffered a first-round loss in 2025. The news was confirmed by the tournament’s official social media accounts.

Posting on Instagram, the organisers cited “strong fatigue” as the reason for Djokovic’s absence and wished him a quick recovery:

“Qatar will miss you. Wishing you a speedy recovery ”

Despite this setback, Djokovic has arguably enjoyed his strongest start to a season since 2023. He reached the Australian Open final after defeating Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller in the semifinals. Although Djokovic ultimately lost the final to Carlos Alcaraz, his semifinal performance was widely regarded as one of his highest levels in recent years and suggested that he can still compete to win Majors as he hunts a 25th title.

Djokovic will now look to build on that momentum at the upcoming “Sunshine Double” next month whilst prioritising rest and recovery after his exploits in Melbourne. He is currently scheduled to compete at both Indian Wells and the Miami Open, the latter of which he reached the final of last year.

As for the Qatar Open, despite the absence of Djokovic’s star power, the tournament still features nine of the current top 20 players in the world. The field is headlined by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and a potential final between the two would be a major boost for the event even in the absence of the great Serbian.