The tennis world was stunned by Novak Djokovic’s sudden withdrawal from the year-end, eight-man ATP Finals. Despite having qualified for the tournament and being a seven-time champion, the Serbian star cited an “ongoing injury” that prevented him from competing in the French Open, too, this year. However, Djokovic seems to be making the most of his unexpected break from the sport. Topped with his latest comeback update for fans!

On Thursday, Djoker attended the Euroleague Basketball game between Crvena Zvezda and FC Barcelona, where he revealed his goals. As Tennis Majors reported, Djokovic said, “Tennis is still my focus! I am going at full throttle in the off-season. We go for another ride. I just needed to recharge and refresh a bit after an exhausting year,” while taking a moment between selfie requests from fans. He has already mapped out his plans for early 2025: “I am going to play in the first week of the season, I am just not sure yet where. Then, of course, the Australian Open.”

It was Roland Garros and the Serbian superstar suffered an unwanted injury in the meniscus which derailed him from his time on the courts, and eventually his top spot in rankings. While he made his way into the quarter-finals against Casper Ruud, he had to opt out after a scan confirmed a meniscus tear in his right knee during his five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round. Playing with a kneecap ever since, the Serbian wasn’t able to compete at his best level.

Despite undergoing knee surgery in June, Djokovic reached the Wimbledon final in July. While he lost to Alcaraz, he later secured Olympic gold, defeating the world No. 3. This Wednesday he pulled out of the Rolex Paris Masters. “I have a lot of great memories winning seven titles there and hope to be back with you next year”, said Djoker, who is a seven-time champion at the event. A similar fate followed him in the year-end Finals. However, sitting out of the ATP Finals would certainly hurt him a lot. Last year, he won the title for the 7th time after defeating Jannik Sinner in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.

While the Serbian announcement was a sad truth for his fans, even Alexander Zverev couldn’t help but comment on the Serb’s withdrawal.

Alexander Zverev says Novak Djokovic will be missed at the ATP Finals

ATP Finals, the season finale, features the 8 players who have played the best throughout the season competing for the prestigious title. “I think it’s the eight best players in the world,” Zverev stated, acknowledging the skill and talent that each competitor brings to the ATP Finals event in Turin.  However, despite the high-level competition, Zverev took a moment to address the absence of Novak Djokovic, one of his long-time rivals.

“Of course, we’re missing Novak,” Zverev said. Interestingly, Zverev and Djokovic have faced off four times at the ATP Finals, with each winning 2 times each. Back in the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals, Zverev defeated Djoker to win the title for the first time.

“Anybody who’s playing their best tennis has a chance of winning the tournament,” he stated, suggesting that this year’s ATP Finals offers a rare opportunity for players to make their mark. Having won 2 ATP titles already(second in 2021), he’s looking to add a third one to his tally.

Without Djokovic, Zverev believes the field is more open, and each competitor has the chance to shine and potentially claim the prestigious title. What are your thoughts on this? Please let us know in the comments below!