Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic's 'Big-3' era formally comes to an end in ATP Finals with 2024 absence
For the first time since 2001, neither player of the Big three - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic will be a part of the ATP Finals. While Federer has retired from professional tennis, Nadal missed the qualification mark this year and Djokovic withdrew due to fitness concerns.
Despite missing several events on tour, Djokovic qualified for the ATP Finals last week. He announced his withdrawal on Tuesday due to an 'unspecified' ongoing injury, following a runner-up finish in the Shanghai Masters.
The Serb is a record seven-time champion at the iconic event. He aplogized to his fans who anticipated his presence in Turin and wished the remaining participants a great tournament.
"It’s quite an honor to qualify for the @nittoatpfinals in Turin. I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week. Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon," Djokovic said.
While Djokovic has seven titles to his name at the year-end championships, Federer has won the event six times in his career. He captured his maiden title in 2003 and added five more to his locker in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011. The Swiss Maestro made his last appearance at the event in 2019, where he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinals.
Surprisingly, Rafael Nadal has never won the ATP Finals in his career. He reached the final in 2010 and 2013 but lost on both occasions, first to Roger Federer and then to Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard made his most recent appearance at the event in 2022, where he couldn't qualify for the semifinals.
Novak Djokovic will drop 1300 points for missing the ATP Finals this year
Former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has ended his season this year. He won't be a part of the ATP Finals and is most likely to feature next in the 2025 Australian Open.
Djokovic was the defending champion in Turin, which means he won't be able to defend his 1300 points in the ATP Rankings. He currently holds the fourth spot in the world, but is expected to drop down to No. 6, behind Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz.
The 37-year-old can also drop further down to No. 9 if Andrey Rublev or Casper Ruud have a decent run in Turin. If either of the two get off the mark in the group stage, they will finish above Djokovic in the ATP Rankings this year.
Interestingly, Djokovic will not exit the top 10 irrespective of the results in the ATP Finals. The Serb's ranking could shape up his matches against current rivals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the future.