Novak Djokovic withdraws from 2025 ATP Finals after winning Athens Open

Saturday, 08 November 2025 at 21:31

byJordan Reynolds

Novak Djokovic softened Lorenzo Musetti's pain after the 2025 Athens Open final by confirming he will not appear at the 2025 ATP Finals.

The final in Athens between Djokovic and Musetti was one of the most dramatic finals of the season. Since the Serbian had not confirmed whether he would play at the ATP Finals, Musetti needed a win to guarantee his place in Turin.

An entertaining opening set was won 6-4 by the Italian. There were several high-quality rallies, but Djokovic made more errors in crucial moments. The second set was the opposite, allowing the 38-year-old to take it.

Ultimately, Djokovic's unique winning mentality proved decisive. He triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 after a battle that could have gone either way, sealing his second title of 2025 and 101st of his extraordinary career.

It was Musetti's fifth consecutive defeat in finals. The Italian cried after losing the 2025 Chengdu Open final, squandering two championship points. That loss to Djokovic was similarly brutal.

Musetti is always gracious at the net after being beaten. He and Djokovic had a nice exchange at the net, and the 23-year-old revealed afterward that the 24-time Grand Slam champion gave him some important information.

Djokovic confirmed to Musetti that he will not play at the ATP Finals, ensuring that his younger colleague on the ATP Tour qualifies for the year-end championships. Musetti mentioned Djokovic's words to him at the net in a post-match press conference.

Those words from Musetti were followed by a social media statement from Djokovic about the news. He wanted to play at the ATP Finals, but felt withdrawing was the right move after the lengthy final and because of an ongoing injury.

"I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best, but after today's final in Athens, I'm sad to say that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury. I'm truly sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play, your support means so much. I wish all the players an amazing tournament, and I can't wait to be back on court with you all soon!"

Playing at the tournament will undoubtedly mean more to Musetti than it would have to Djokovic. The Serbian also withdrew from the event last year, and he already holds a record seven titles, eclipsing Roger Federer's total in 2023.

Jannik Sinner is the favorite for the ATP Finals

The ATP Finals draw put defending champion Jannik Sinner in a group with Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton, and Novak Djokovic's decision not to play means Felix Auger-Aliassime joins them.

Sinner has been the best indoor hard-court player over the past few years, and his title run last year, combined with a home crowd cheering him on, will make it tough for anyone to beat him.

In a press conference before the tournament, Alexander Zverev left Ben Shelton in stitches after bluntly admitting he would have preferred having Carlos Alcaraz in his group instead of Sinner.

Carlos Alcaraz's group contains Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, and Lorenzo Musetti. The Spaniard will try to win his maiden title at the event.