Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from another ATP tournament as fans await the 24-time Grand Slam champion’s return to action.
The Serb was last seen on court at Wimbledon, where Djokovic lost to Jannik Sinner in the semifinals.
Djokovic subsequently withdrew from the Canadian Open, but was expected to make his return in Cincinnati.
Deciding against a trip to Ohio, Djokovic will now skip the Cincinnati Open as well, and will instead return to the ATP Tour in New York, at the US Open.
That’s one tournament confirmed for Djokovic in 2025, but where else will we see the 38-year-old compete before the season reaches its conclusion?
Novak Djokovic is confirmed to play the US Open and an exhibition tournament in 2025
In 2024, Djokovic played two events after the US Open, the Shanghai Masters and the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.
Djokovic could well play the Shanghai Masters again in 2025, although there are several signs pointing towards the Serb skipping the event.
On the Shanghai Masters website, Djokovic isn’t listed among their seven ‘players to watch’, which includes Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev.
If Djokovic does miss Shanghai, we’ll likely see him return to action in Saudi Arabia for the second edition of the Six Kings Slam.
The lucrative exhibition tournament will feature the world’s top six players, three of whom participated in Riyadh last time around.
| Player | ATP Rank | Nationality | 2024 Six Kings Slam result |
| Jannik Sinner | 1 | Italian | Winner |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 2 | Spanish | Runner-Up |
| Alexander Zverev | 3 | German | – |
| Taylor Fritz | 4 | American | – |
| Jack Draper | 5 | British | – |
| Novak Djokovic | 6 | Serbian | Semifinalist |
That could well be it for Djokovic in 2025, who finished his 2024 season in Saudi Arabia.
There are, of course, more tournaments at which he could make an appearance, including the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.
After Djokovic withdrew from the Paris Masters in 2024, he chose not to appear at the year-end finals, despite qualifying for the event.
It remains to be seen whether Djokovic will do the same in 2025, although it’s far from a foregone conclusion that he will qualify for the ATP Finals.
Is Novak Djokovic on course to qualify for the 2025 ATP Finals?
The 38-year-old currently sits fourth in the ‘Live ATP Race to Turin’, which is mightily impressive considering he’s played fewer tournaments than most of his rivals.
| Rank | Name | Points | Gap to qualification |
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz (Qualified) | 7,550 | + 4,805 |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | 6,010 | + 3,265 |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | 3,690 | + 945 |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic | 3,380 | + 635 |
| 5 | Taylor Fritz | 2,975 | + 230 |
| 6 | Jack Draper | 2,940 | + 195 |
| 7 | Ben Shelton | 2,820 | + 75 |
| 8 | Alex de Minaur | 2,745 | |
| 9 | Lorenzo Musetti | 2,670 | – 75 |
| 10 | Casper Ruud | 2,235 | – 510 |
| 11 | Alejandro Davidovich Fokina | 2,090 | – 655 |
| 12 | Andrey Rublev | 2,020 | – 725 |
Djokovic currently has a 600+ point buffer to eighth place (the final qualification spot), although that could well close quickly over the coming months.
A lot will ride on Djokovic’s performance in New York, as the Serb searches for another strong Grand Slam result to end the season.
Of the 3,380 points Djokovic has picked up in 2025, 2,400 were earned at the three major tournaments.
- 2025 Australian Open – Lost in SF (800 points)
- 2025 French Open – Lost in SF (800 points)
- 2025 US Open – Lost in SF (800 points)
He’ll return to New York looking to right the wrongs of 2024, where he suffered a shock early exit.
Playing Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in round three, Djokovic lost in four sets, failing to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2017.
Only time will tell if he can make a deeper run in 2025, but it will certainly be worth tuning in for.
The 2025 US Open is scheduled to begin on Sunday, August 24.
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