Novak Djokovic claimed the 101st title of his career with victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti at the Hellenic Championships in Athens on Saturday, but the Serb was later forced to withdraw from the ATP Finals in Turin because of a shoulder injury.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion battled through a draining contest to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, recovering from a set down and showing his trademark resilience in a match lasting just over three hours. Yet the physical toll proved costly, as Djokovic aggravated what he described as an “ongoing” shoulder problem that will rule him out of the season-ending event, which begins on 9 November.
“I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best, but after today’s final in Athens, I’m sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury,” Djokovic wrote on social media. “I’m truly sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play, your support means so much. I wish all the players an amazing tournament, and I can’t wait to be back on the court soon.”
His withdrawal means Musetti, 23, will take the final qualifying spot in Turin despite the defeat. The Italian had looked set to miss out before Djokovic’s announcement.
Djokovic, 38, joins an elite group of players to have reached 100 career titles, alongside Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors. The Serb now sits two behind Federer’s 103, with Connors leading the all-time list on 109.
For much of the final, though, it seemed unlikely Djokovic would move any closer. Musetti’s sharp serving and relentless movement earned him the opening set, and his early aggression had Djokovic on the back foot. The top seed responded with controlled baseline play to level the match, before both players traded service breaks deep in the decider. Djokovic then produced a flawless final game, sealing victory to become, at 38 years and five months, the oldest ATP tournament winner since Ken Rosewall triumphed in Hong Kong in 1977 aged 43.
“It was an incredible battle, I don’t know how I won it,” Djokovic said afterwards. “Three hours, a gruelling match physically, super demanding. Lorenzo played really well. It could have been anybody’s match, so congrats to him for an amazing performance. I just feel very proud of myself to get through this one.”
The triumph marked Djokovic’s second title of 2025 after his victory on the clay courts of Geneva in May. For Musetti, the wait for a maiden career title continues, with six final defeats in the past two seasons.
Elsewhere on the ATP Tour, Britain’s Cameron Norrie fell short in his bid for a sixth career title, losing to 19-year-old American Learner Tien in the Moselle Open final in France. Norrie fought back from a set down and a break down in the decider but was unable to close it out, falling 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6) after leading 5-1 in the final-set tiebreak.
For Djokovic, Athens brought both a reminder of his enduring quality and the physical limits that come with age. The Serb departs the season one step closer to Federer’s total, but his absence from Turin will cast a shadow over the year’s final event.
