5 ATP players who will miss China Open 2024 ft. Novak Djokovic
Tennis excitement is building in Asia as the China Open, a tournament Novak Djokovic has won six times in the past, is set to begin on Tuesday, September 24. However, the Serbian star will not be competing for a seventh title.
Djokovic, who recently lost in the third round of the US Open despite being the defending champion, has instead decided to take a break from the busy tennis calendar.
Besides the 24-time Grand Slam champion, there are a few other notable absentees at this year’s China Open. Here, we have listed some of the most prominent ones.
#1 Six-time China Open champ Novak Djokovic
A six-time former champion, Novak Djokvoic, will not be featuring at the China Open this year. The Serb has had a busy few months, reaching the Wimbledon final just weeks after undergoing ankle surgery, capturing the elusive Olympic gold medal, and then competing in the US Open.
Djokovic had previously expressed concerns about the toll his busy schedule was taking on him. Given his recent demanding schedule, it is not surprising that he has decided to take a break from competition and prioritize recovery before his next tournament.
#2 Holger Rune
Following Wimbledon, the Dane was forced to withdraw from the Olympics owing to a wrist injury. He returned to action at the Canadian Open, making the fourth round before reaching the semifinals at the Cincinnati Open.
The youngster failed to make an impact at the US Open, losing in the opening round to Brandon Nakashima. Keen to put the disappointment behind, Rune also entered the Hangzhou Open, only to suffer another first-round exit.
The Dane played at last year’s China Open but has chosen to give the event a miss this year. He will, however, be in action at the Japan Open during the same week.
#3 Cameron Norrie
Cameron Norrie was earlier slated to play at the China Open, with his name featuring on the list of the main draw entrants.
The Briton, however, will not be making the trip to Asia as he has pulled out of the tournament. At this time, the official reason for his last-minute decision remains undisclosed.
#4 Dusan Lajovic
Another player who was initially on the entry list for this year’s China Open but later pulled out is Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic. The seasoned campaigner was set to participate in the qualification rounds of the tournament but has withdrawn without providing a reason.
Notably, the Serb was among the seeded names at the qualification rounds 12 months ago. He, however, failed to make the cut for the main draw after losing his qualification round opener to Yannick Hanfmann.
#5 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard had his big breakthrough at the Wimbledon Championships, where he made the second week at a Grand Slam for the first time with wins over the likes of Emil Ruusuvuori and Sebastian Korda. What made his run extremely impressive was the fact that he had come through the qualification rounds.
The Frenchman then went on a four-match losing streak, which ended at the Asian swing. He beat local favorite Sun Fajing in Chengdu but lost in the next round. He was scheduled to play the qualification rounds at the China Open, but his name has since been withdrawn.