Barely 24 hours after the president of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation proudly stated that Novak Djokovic would compete at the ATP Finals, the tennis great himself has offered a different opinion.
Djokovic is one of seven players who have secured their places in the draw for the season-ending tournament in Turin with Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Alex De Minaur also set to compete.
However, there had been doubts over the 24-time Grand Slam winner’s participation in the event as he opted not to compete last year as he played a reduced schedule, insisting he would only play the four Grand Slams and tournaments that have a special meaning to him.
The Serbian has followed a similar schedule this year, leading many to believe that he would once again skip the ATP Finals, but Angelo Binaghi, chief of Italian tennis, announced earlier this week that Djokovic would play.
“We have confirmation that Djokovic will play in Turin,” he boldly told radio channel Rai Gr Parlamento.
But the former world No 1 has dismissed that claim, saying: “I don’t know where he (Binaghi) got that information from. Definitely not from me or my team. I will decide at the end of this tournament.”
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Djokovic is in action at the Hellenic Championship and he won his opening match against Alejandro Tabilo, winning 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 to deny the Chilean a third consecutive win in their head-to-head rivalry.
The Greek event is one of the events that has a special meaning for the 38-year-old as he recently moved to Athens with his family.
“It feels really at home, playing in Athens. A few months ago when I came here with my family, I was very excited because I have always loved Greece,” the current world No 5, whose only title this year has come at the Geneva Open in May, said.
Djokovic – who will face Nuno Borges in the quarter-final – is the overwhelming favourite to win the title and he is projected to meet second seed Lorenzo Musetti in the final and the outcome of that match could have a big impact on the ATP Finals.
Musetti is ninth in the ATP Race To Turin, but a title run will help the Italian to overtake eighth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is not playing this week.
Of course, both could still play at the lucrative event if Djokovic decides not to compete in Turin.
The post Novak Djokovic gives major ATP Finals update – ‘I don’t know where he got that information’ appeared first on Tennis365.
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