Novak Djokovic will not feature at the prestigious year-end ATP Finals in Turin after stumbling to a three-set defeat in the second round of the Paris Masters against Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata. The loss brought an abrupt close to the 39-year-old Serb's season, marking only the second instance over the past 20 seasons in which he has failed to secure qualification for the finale while being fit to play.
Stumble in Paris Ends Turin Ambitions
Heading into the tournament, Djokovic faced a clear mathematical challenge: he almost certainly needed to advance to at least the semi-finals in Paris to punch his ticket to Turin. The path appeared to widen early on Wednesday as two of his chief rivals for the remaining qualification spots suffered unexpected exits. Djokovic began the match cleanly and took the opening set with authority, but his momentum dissipated as the contest wore on.
Hijikata, ranked 83rd in the world, elevated his baseline game towards the end of the second set and maintained unrelenting pressure throughout the decider. Djokovic, who appeared physically compromised and moved with visible effort, committed an uncharacteristic run of unforced errors. Hijikata held firm to close out a memorable 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory, putting an end to the Serb's campaign.
A Challenging Masters Campaign
While Djokovic managed deep runs at the majors this season by reaching the Australian Open final and advancing to the semi-finals at Wimbledon, his form at the tour's premier week-long stops was uncharacteristically subdued. Across the entire year, he failed to reach a single quarter-final at any Masters 1000 event. His last Grand Slam triumph came at the 2023 US Open, which took his tally to 24 major singles trophies, a men's record that keeps him level with Margaret Court in the all-time standings.
Earning a spot in Turin would have allowed Djokovic the opportunity to pursue an unprecedented eighth title at the season-ending championship. The setback marks the first time since 2017 that a healthy Djokovic has missed the elite eight-man field.
Scramble for the Final Qualification Berths
With Djokovic sidelined, the battle for the remaining berths at the ATP Finals now centres on American duo Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul. The spots are currently occupied by Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar, though Tiafoe lost control of his destiny earlier on Wednesday after a gruelling 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (11-9) loss to Frenchman Quentin Halys.
Australia's Alex de Minaur also missed a prime opening to lock down his berth, falling 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 against Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina. A strong run through the draw in Paris would have confirmed De Minaur's place in Turin. Elsewhere in the tournament, top-ranked Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev both suffered defeats, though both competitors had already locked in their qualifications for the Turin championship prior to the event.
