Novak Djokovic makes major Paris Masters decision days after playing with Rafael Nadal in Six King Slams

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2024 Paris Masters. The announcement comes just days after he faced off against his longtime rival, Rafael Nadal, in the Six Kings Slam.

Djokovic was one of six participants in the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event brought together top players in an exciting exhibition format ahead of their regular season commitments. Both he and Nadal automatically advanced to the semifinals, with the Serb facing off against Jannik Sinner and the Spaniard taking on Carlos Alcaraz.

The legendary duo fell in their respective matches and set up a third-place playoff between them. Djokovic won the match in straight sets, defeating Nadal, who is nearing retirement at the end of the season.

Just days after that, Sportklub reported that Novak Djokovic decided to withdraw from the Paris Masters, where he was scheduled to compete starting October 28.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion is a seven-time champion at the ATP 1000 tournament, but as he mentioned before, he's being selective about the tournaments he competes in. His next expected appearance could be at the ATP Finals, though he has not yet qualified.

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Novak Djokovic: "I feel sorry for those who want me to retire, they will have to see me for a while longer"

Novak Djokovic pictured at the 2024 Shanghai Masters Final | Image Source: Getty

Speculation about Novak Djokovic's retirement has been growing, especially with the other two members of the Big 3—Roger Federer already retired and Rafael Nadal planning to hang up his racket at the end of 2024.

However, Djokovic has downplayed the discussions, saying that while finding motivation is becoming more challenging, he still has the drive to compete and plans to remain on the Tour for a while longer.

"For now I feel like I want to keep goingH," he told Argentine publication La Nacion. "How much longer? Travelling and finding motivation is becoming more difficult for me. It’s not easy. And even less so with children. I don’t want to be away from home for so long, but I still have the drive."

"So I feel sorry for those who want me to retire, because they will have to see me for a while longer," he added.

The Serb continued:

"Deep down, I still feel like I have a few more Grand Slams to win. That’s what drives me to compete, to feel like I can still do it, and to play the Davis Cup for Serbia. I love playing for Serbia."