Novak Djokovic could face player he’s never beaten in his first match in Athens as he returns to tennis

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Novak Djokovic is set to make his return to ATP Tour-level action next week at a new-look tournament in Athens.

The Serb will feature at the Hellenic Championship, an ATP 250 event relocated from Belgrade to Athens, which marks one of the final competitions of the 2025 season.

Djokovic last played on tour at the Shanghai Masters, where he advanced to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Valentin Vacherot.

He is in pursuit of his 101st ATP title in Athens, as he seeks to close in on Jimmy Connors’ all-time record of 109.

Though Djokovic will enter the tournament as the heavy favourite, his first task could be a potential banana skin.

Novak Djokovic draws bogey opponent in Athens

In the first round of the Hellenic Championship, Djokovic will receive a bye and will play either Adam Walton or Alejandro Tabilo in his opening match.

While he has never played Walton on the tour before, a clash with Tabilo would not be a first for Djokovic.

The Chilean star is one of the few players in tennis history to hold an unbeaten record against the 24-time Grand Slam champion, having won both of their two previous bouts.

Tabilo and Djokovic first met at the Italian Open in 2024, with the two players battling it out for a place in the round of 16 at the Masters tournament.

Shockingly, Tabilo handed Djokovic a heavy straight-set defeat on the clay, winning 6-2, 6-3 in one of the biggest upsets of the year.

His second triumph over the great man came, once again, on the dirt; this time at the 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters.

Djokovic had just reached the final of the Miami Open, but saw a huge dip in form at the start of the clay season, and crashed out in his opening match in Monte-Carlo to Tabilo, falling 6-3, 6-4.

Now, they may potentially meet for a third time in Athens, in what would mark their first matchup on a hard court.

Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of Jimmy Connors’ record

Earlier this season at the Geneva Open, Djokovic claimed his 100th ATP title after defeating Hubert Hurkacz in the final of the ATP 250 competition.

He became just the third man in tennis history to tally a century of tour-level titles, joining Roger Federer and Connors, who have 103 and 109 crowns to their name, respectively.

Though Djokovic may not be able to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in his way, it is certainly possible that he could surpass the totals of Federer and Connors.

Djokovic has proven this year that he is clearly still the third-best player in the world, and should he enter more ATP 500 and 250 events in 2026 that don’t feature Alcaraz or Sinner, the all-time record could be his.