Since the US Open, Djokovic has repeatedly made it clear that the ATP 250 in Athens was the only tournament he had committed to for the rest of the season.
He still ended up competing in Shanghai, where he battled his way to the semi-finals before losing to Valentin Vacherot and appearing to struggle with a hip issue. The 38-year-old also headed to the Six Kings Slam, a three-day exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.
There, Djokovic lost to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals and retired after losing a 75-minute set to Taylor Fritz in a playoff match, telling the crowd that he wanted to address his physical problems in the hopes of playing his last tournaments of the year.
Djordje has now explained that those issues got worse in Shanghai, but Djokovic already seems to be feeling better, even though he won’t be in action at the upcoming Masters 1000 in Paris.
“He withdrew from Paris, but he is working hard to recover. He has specific problems that worsened in Shanghai,” the Hellenic Championship tournament director said.
“He feels good now, he is doing everything in his power to be in the best possible condition and play in Athens.
“He has said how important it is for him to play in this competition, in front of the Greek fans. He is a mastermind when it comes to preparation and recovery, and that is why he is the best.”
The Hellenic Championship will take place from November 2 to 8. Djokovic has also qualified for the ATP Finals, which will kick off on November 9 in Turin.
The world No. 5 has not competed in the year-ending championships since he won the tournament for the seventh time in 2023, as he ended his season early last year and skipped the tournament.