On His Own Terms: Novak Djokovic Skips ATP Finals to End Season

At 38-years-old and still determined to compete for Championships, Novak Djokovic has nonetheless decided to play the end of his professional career on his own terms. His decision to skip the 2025 ATP Finals in Turin, after also skipping the tournament in 2024 is a statement of independence, a statement of what he believes is best for his career, as a player that has long advocated for the health and welfare of players.

On Saturday, Djokovic lifted a 101st title, winning his family’s own tournament in Athens, Greece the country he now resides. Djokovic’s opponent in that final was none other than Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti. Musetti was playing for a spot in the ATP Tour Finals field, and although Djokovic emerged as the winner 4-6 6-3 7-5 in a heated battle, he then gifted Musetti a valuable position in the tour finals with his withdrawal.

Tournament Directors Disappointed by Novak Djokovic’s Absence

Earlier in the week, Italian tennis officials claimed Djokovic would participate in this year’s tour finals, an event Turin has put up significant prize money for and expects to sell out. Djokovic remains one of tennis five most marketable and well-known players across the ATP and WTA Tour.

The great champion denied he had decided on his participation a day later, and the speculation continued about Djokovic’s status. After the Athens final, it was confirmed he was withdrawing from the field. The long finals match perhaps confirming he was too fatigued to want to risk his health and his body in Turin, with the Australian Open, his best Grand Slam, two months away.

Djokovic Remains The Greatest Opponent for “Sincaraz”

Even at 38, Djokovic is so intelligent, talented, and fit that he remains the best challenger to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the players who finished in the top 2 positions of the ATP Race for 2025. Alcaraz (11,500), and Sinner (10,000) finished with more than double the points of third place qualifier Alexander Zverev. For greater context, Alcaraz and Sinner qualified by July and August for the finals, the rest of the field took until October or November.

Djokovic finished 4th at 4,830 points, while playing 47 matches in 2025. Djokovic won 37 of them in terms of official ATP or Grand Slam matches (he also participated in the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh). He won two ATP 250 titles on the season, in Geneva on clay and Athens on hard courts, arguably he could still dominate any 250 he chooses to enter. He was also a finalist in Miami, falling in the Masters 1000 final to Jakub Mensik. In 2025, he was a semifinalist in all four Grand Slams, which is remarkably consistent.