Novak Djokovic knows what he needs to do if he wants to qualify for the ATP Finals this year.
Djokovic has stated his intent to play the ATP Finals this year, despite choosing not to play the year-end tournament in both 2024 and 2025 after qualifying.
The Serbian’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament took a blow last week, as Djokovic lost to Jan-Lennard Struff in just his second match in Basel.
Djokovic now only has one tournament left to play to try and secure qualification for the ATP Finals at the Paris Masters, where he knows exactly what he needs to do if he wants to compete in Turin.
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Novak Djokovic needs to at least reach the semi-finals of the Paris Masters
The Paris Masters is the final opportunity for players to qualify for the ATP Finals, with four qualification spots still open. Despite some confusion after errors were made in the rankings, it has now been confirmed that those spots are currently occupied by Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar.
However, the likes of Alex de Minaur, Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Jiri Lehecka still have outside opportunities to muscle their way into the ATP Finals this year, with Jannik Sinner having ended his season early as a result of his knee injury.
- 6. Flavio Cobolli – 3690 points
- 7. Arthur Fils – 3535 points
- 8. Frances Tiafoe – 3390 points
- 9. Rafael Jodar – 3194 points
- 10. Alex de Minaur – 3170 points
- 11. Novak Djokovic – 2900 points
- 12. Taylor Fritz – 2860 points
- 13. Tommy Paul – 2735 points
- 14. Jiri Lehecka – 2540 points
Jodar currently occupies the final ATP Finals qualification spot, and he knows that if he at least matches De Minaur and others’ results in Paris then he will make it to Turin for the first time.
This leaves Djokovic with a big task on his hands, as he will have to reach at least the semi-finals of the Paris Masters to have a chance of being in one of those eight qualification places. Djokovic has an impressive record at the Paris Masters, as a record seven-time champion, but he has not reached the quarter-finals of any ATP 1000 tournament this year.
Djokovic is also up against it with his draw, particularly as he is not seeded high enough to have a bye into the second round. As a result, Djokovic has been handed a very tricky opener against Valentin Vacherot, who has just won his first ATP 500 title in Basel and beat the Serbian in their only previous meeting.
Some of the other threats to Djokovic reaching the semi-finals of the Paris Masters this year are new world number one Alexander Zverev and the aforementioned De Minaur.
Djokovic has continually defied the odds throughout his career and he will be hoping to do so again at the Paris Masters, where he will play his opener against Vacherot on Tuesday, November 3.
If he is able to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin, Djokovic will join the likes of Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton and Daniil Medvedev who are the only four players to have confirmed their qualification so far.
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