The Parisian autumn was supposed to be a stage for one of tennis's most iconic figures to shine, but instead, it became a moment of reflection for Novak Djokovic. Just days before the 2025 Paris Masters, the seven-time champion made the difficult decision to withdraw from the tournament.

The 2025 season has been a rollercoaster for the Serbian star. He has played around 46 matches this season and won just one title (Geneva Open). Although he reached the semifinals in each of the major tournaments this year, he failed to reach the finals in each of those tournaments. Other than his struggle to find his title-winning form, Djokovic’s journey has been hampered by injuries multiple times this season. For example, at the AO he suffered a left hamstring injury, which forced him to pull out from his SF match against Alexander Zverev. Then even at Wimbledon he was seen having some issues with his leg after a nasty fall during his QF match against Flavio Cobolli.

We saw him struggling a bit during his SF run at the Shanghai Masters as well, and then recently he was forced to retire from a crucial battle against Taylor Fritz at the Six Kings Slam. Is age taking a toll on the 38-year-old superstar now? After ending his campaign in Riyadh, Novak Djokovic said, “Now it’s time to rest and really address some of the issues I have with my body. Then, hopefully, I can play the last couple of tournaments of the season. Let’s see.” As things stand, his last couple of tournaments could be the ATP 250 event in Athens and the ATP Finals, now. Djokovic has announced his withdrawal from the Paris Masters through a social media post. He recently shared a tweet saying, “Dear Paris, unfortunately I’ll not compete at this year’s @RolexPMasters. I have amazing memories and great success over the years, especially being able to conquer the title 7 times. Hope to see you next year. Merci 🙏🏼.”

For Djokovic, the focus now shifts to recovery and preparation. His team has emphasized rehabilitation, ensuring that when he returns to the Tour, he does so fully fit and ready to contend at the highest level. The Paris Masters may not feature Novak Djokovic this year, but his influence on the tournament and the sport remains undeniable.

He is the only player to defend the title (2013-15), and reacting to the withdrawal of their biggest superstars, the Rolex Paris Masters’ official X handle shared a tweet saying, “We have amazing memories with you. Hoping to see you too next year 🫶.”

So, as things stand, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will now headline the 2025 edition of the Paris Masters, which is the first since relocation to La Defense Arena. This tournament will run from October 27 to November 2.

Coming to Djokovic’s probable events for the rest of the 2025 season, the Hellenic Championship will commence on November 2 and will go on till November 8, while the ATP Finals is scheduled to take place from November 9 to 16. Amid all these, Novak Djokovic got the chance to meet one of his biggest inspirational figures in the sports world.

Novak Djokovic crosses paths with soccer superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo

Two GOATs, one frame! In a rare crossover, two sporting legends, Novak Djokovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, recently came face-to-face in Lisbon, sending shockwaves of excitement through fans across the globe. The Serbian maestro, known for his unmatched consistency on the tennis court, met the Portuguese soccer icon, whose name has become synonymous with dedication and longevity in world soccer. So, it wasn’t just a meeting of two champions—it was a moment where greatness recognized greatness.

Just a few days ago, when Djokovic was asked about his plans to continue playing, he took the examples of sporting greats like Ronaldo, who seems to be aging like a fine wine. “Longevity is one of my biggest motivations. I really want to see how far I can go. If you see across all the global sports, LeBron James, he’s still going strong, he’s 40, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tom Brady played till he was 40-something years old. I mean, it’s unbelievable. They’re inspiring me as well. So I want to keep going, and that’s one of the motivations I have,” said Djokovic.

During their recent meeting at the Lisboa Racket Centre, owned by the Portuguese star, they swapped signed jerseys, with Cristiano Ronaldo passing over an Al-Nassr top sporting his famous number 7, while Novak Djokovic also gifted him a red Lacoste shirt. The Serb also passed over a signed racket, onto which he wrote the iconic ‘Siuuu’ line that resembles the soccer star’s unique celebration after scoring goals.

However, this wasn’t the first time that Djokovic spoke fondly of the soccer star. In fact, there have been many such instances in the past, where the Serb was spotted doing Ronaldo’s ‘Siuuu’ celebration. In 2018, during an interview, he even admitted, “It’s great to have big football star, a sports star like him, courtside watching tennis. He used to come and watch a lot in Madrid. He used to come watch Rafa [Nadal], Roger [Federer], and myself. He’s a fan of tennis. It’s really, really nice, as he’s one of the biggest sports stars in the last decade. It’s great for our sport to have him there.”

Surely, if Novak Djokovic plays until 40, he’ll surely add more titles to his incredible tally. But seeing his constant struggle with injuries, fans wonder how long he is going to continue this incredible journey. 
Seeing his long runs at the major tournaments event at this age, Tim Henman said, “What I always say about these great players is they should play as long as they want and can. They have earned that right, and if they are enjoying themselves, they should keep playing.” He’s now eager to see how Djokovic approaches 2026. Do you think the ‘Serbinator’ has a good chance of winning the 2026 AO, though? Share your thoughts in the comment box.

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta