By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 9, 2025Photo 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.
“Nicely, clearly somebody like Novak being within the group is all the time robust,” Alcaraz advised the media in Turin after his 7-6(5), 6-2 opening win over Alex de Minaur. “The expertise he hasin this event, the extent he has on indoor court docket, it’s fairly good. I misplaced to him in 2023, and I performed nice. He killed me.
“To be trustworthy, I desire Lorenzo. I’m not going to lie.”
Yesterday, Djokovic out-dueled Musetti in a pulsating Athens closing to seize his a hundred and first profession championship. Djokovic later withdrew from Turin with a shoulder problem sending Musetti into the ATP Finals discipline.
“If he’s there, he deserves it due to the extent he has placed on the matches, the tournaments he has executed this yr, and the extent he confirmed this yr,” Alcaraz mentioned of Musetti. “It was actually, reallyhigh. 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 court docket in any respect.
“However I’m positive he’s going to do nice and let’s see how goes to be.”
