By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 9, 2025
Picture credit score: Rolex Paris Masters Fb
Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal from the season-ending ATP Finals upset followers.
The Grand Slam king’s absence pleases some rivals.
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz admitted he’d relatively face Lorenzo Musetti, who changed Djokovic within the Jimmy Connors Group of round-robin play, than seven-time champion Djokovic in Turin.
“Properly, clearly somebody like Novak being within the group is all the time robust,” Alcaraz instructed the media in Turin after his 7-6(5), 6-2 opening win over Alex de Minaur. “The expertise he has
on this event, the extent he has on indoor courtroom, it’s fairly good. I misplaced to him in 2023, and I performed nice. He killed me.
“To be sincere, I desire Lorenzo. I’m not going to lie.”
Yesterday, Djokovic out-dueled Musetti in a pulsating Athens ultimate to seize his one hundred and first profession championship. Djokovic later withdrew from Turin with a shoulder difficulty sending Musetti into the ATP Finals subject.
“If he’s there, he deserves it due to the extent he has placed on the matches, the tournaments he has carried out this 12 months, and the extent he confirmed this 12 months,” Alcaraz stated of Musetti. “It was actually, actually
excessive. Let’s see how he’s going to be, how he’s going to adapt. He’s coming from Athens, and he couldn’t really feel the courtroom in any respect.
“However I’m positive he’s going to do nice and let’s see how goes to be.”
