FILE–Novak Djokovic of Serbia during Shanghai Masters tennis tournament on, Oct. 13, 2024. He is skipping the Paris Masters where he is the defending champion. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
PARIS — Defending champion Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Paris Masters, organizers said Wednesday.
The 37-year-old Djokovic played at the Six Kings Slam exhibition last week. Organizers did not give a reason for Djokovic’s withdrawal.
The former top-ranked player said in an Instagram post he is “sorry to everyone who was hoping to see me play there.”
READ: Novak Djokovic: ‘I still plan to compete and play next season’
“I have a lot of great memories winning seven titles there and hope to be back with you next year,” he added.
Djokovic has won a record seven titles at the Paris indoor tournament. His decision not to play could jeopardize his chances to qualify for the year-end ATP Finals featuring the top eight players in the race.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion currently holds the sixth spot in the race. Four players — Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev — have already secured their spot at the season’s final event from Nov. 10-17.
The Paris Masters starts next week.