Djokovic faces the risk of having to withdraw from competition

Novak Djokovic has sparked worries about injury and his chances of competing in the final events of the season.

A major upset occurred at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday when Novak Djokovic was defeated by qualifier Valentin Vacherot, ranked 204th in the world, in the semifinals. The 38-year-old appeared to struggle physically throughout the match, frequently experiencing hip tightness and even requesting medical timeouts.

However, Djokovic remained tight-lipped about his injury status after the match. He only praised Vacherot for his outstanding performance and wished his opponent good luck in the final against Arthur Rinderknech on Sunday.

This has cast uncertainty over Djokovic’s upcoming schedule, despite his confirmation to participate in two more tournaments this year. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is set to compete in the Six Kings Slams event in Riyadh next week.

Djokovic previously took part in this prestigious exhibition last year, where he lost to Jannik Sinner but defeated Rafael Nadal in the third-place match. The Serbian player will join Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Middle East on October 15, 16, and 18.

As the two players with the most Grand Slam titles, Djokovic and Alcaraz receive byes directly into the later rounds, starting play on Thursday. Djokovic is likely to face the winner of the Sinner–Tsitsipas match, while Alcaraz will compete against either Zverev or Fritz.

All six participants will receive £1.1 million just for appearing, with the champion earning an additional £3.4 million. Djokovic, currently ranked fifth in the world, has also registered for the ATP 250 tournament in Athens, scheduled for the first week of November.

This tournament is usually held in Djokovic’s homeland of Serbia, run by his family, but this year it has been relocated to Greece. The legendary player, along with his wife and two children, is reportedly residing in Athens.

Last month, Djokovic was seen attending the Davis Cup match between Greece and Brazil with his son Stefan. He has also entered the Paris Masters, which starts on October 27, and is in a strong position to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin from November 9–16.

Nevertheless, Djokovic has stated he is not certain to participate in these two events. Experts remain skeptical about whether the Serbian player will have the physical fitness required for the upcoming tournaments, especially with the Six Kings Slam starting in just a few days.

The world No. 5 struggled with the high heat and humidity throughout the week in Shanghai. Djokovic vomited on court during some matches and collapsed after losing a long set point to Jaume Munar in the fourth round.

The real concern arose when he lost to Vacherot in the semifinals. The four-time Shanghai champion began experiencing hip tightness early in the first set and had to call for medical assistance. He continued to receive treatment during the two subsequent changeovers and was seen limping between points.

Despite his efforts and some improvement in the second set, Djokovic was unable to turn the match around and lost 3-6, 4-6. When asked about his physical condition after the match, the Serbian player responded briefly: “No. Next question, please.”