Novak Djokovic won’t return to tennis at the Qatar Open.
The Serb had been expected to play his first tournament since the Australian Open in Doha.
Withdrawing from the event, fans will have to wait a little longer to see the 24-time Grand Slam champion return to ATP Tour action.
Grade Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open performance out of 10…
But why did Djokovic pull out of the Qatar Open?
The Qatar Open’s official Instagram account confirmed the reason for his withdrawal.
Novak Djokovic pulls out of the Qatar Open with ‘strong fatigue’
“Novak Djokovic is pulling out from Doha due to strong fatigue,” the Qatar Open said.
“Qatar will miss you.
“Wishing you a speedy recovery.”
Djokovic would have travelled to Doha as the number-three seed and a tournament favorite.
The Serb is a two-time champion and boasts an impressive 15-3 record at the Qatar Open.
Novak Djokovic’s record at the Qatar Open (15-3)
| Year | Performance | Match wins |
| 2025 | Lost in 1R to Matteo Berrettini | 0 |
| 2018 | Lost in SF to Roberto Bautista Agut | 3 |
| 2017 | Champion | 5 |
| 2016 | Champion | 5 |
| 2015 | Lost in QF to Ivo Karlovic | 2 |
Instead, Djokovic will now turn his attention to Indian Wells and the Miami Open, the two Sunshine Double Masters 1000 events.
In 2025, Djokovic lost his opening match in Indian Wells to Botic van de Zandschulp, but bounced back at the Miami Open.
Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Miami Open
- 2025 Miami Open 2R [WIN] vs Rinky Hijikata, 6-0, 7-6
- 2025 Miami Open 3R [WIN] vs Camilo Ugo Carabelli, 6-1, 7-6
- 2025 Miami Open 4R [WIN] vs Lorenzo Musetti, 6-2, 6-2
- 2025 Miami Open QF [WIN] vs Sebastian Korda, 6-3, 7-6
- 2025 Miami Open SF [WIN] vs Grigor Dimitrov, 6-2, 6-3
- 2025 Miami Open F [LOSS] vs Jakub Mensik, 6-7, 6-7
The Serb came close to winning his first Masters 1000 title since 2023, but lost to Jakub Mensik in the final.
Who is the best ATP player never to win a Grand Slam title?
Is it Alexander Zverev, Marcelo Rios, Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer or maybe even someone else?
He’ll want to go one better in 2026, no doubt.
Whether he is fit enough to do so is another question altogether.
While his withdrawal from the Qatar Open due to fatigue was likely precautionary, at 38, he won’t want to play any event that he’s not 100% ready for.
However, the 2026 Indian Wells tournament doesn’t begin until the start of March, giving Djokovic a few more weeks to recover.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have a golden opportunity at the Qatar Open now
Djokovic’s withdrawal is bad news for the Qatar Open and the Serb’s many fans, but it’s great news for his two biggest rivals, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
The world number one and two now have a much clearer path to the Qatar Open title.
Top eight seeds at the 2026 Qatar Open
- [1] Carlos Alcaraz
- [2] Jannik Sinner
- [3] Novak Djokovic – Withdrawn
- [4] Felix Auger-Aliassime
- [5] Alexander Bublik
- [6] Daniil Medvedev
- [7] Andrey Rublev
- [8] Jakub Mensik
With Djokovic out of the picture, it’s not difficult to imagine Sinner and Alcaraz meeting in the final.
However, that’s far from a foregone conclusion, as neither player has won the title before.
Sinner has never even played the event, having missed the Qatar Open last year due to suspension.
And Alcaraz lost in the quarterfinals to Jiri Lehecka on debut in 2025.
Both players are in Doha now, though, determined to lift the iconic eagle trophy later this month.
Alcaraz travelled to the Middle East on Saturday to begin his training, while Sinner made the trip on Monday.
Only time will tell who will emerge victorious at the Qatar Open, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
The 2026 Qatar Open begins on Monday, February 16.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
