After the loss in Shanghai, Novak Djokovic has told reporters that he will participate only at the Masters in Paris and the ATP Finals in London. If he doesn’t ask for a wild card for tournaments he hasn’t signed up for – such as Vienna or Basel, the Serb will have to give up the crown in early November.
As of now, Novak could become the number two in November as it’s the day when the new ATP rankings list comes out after the Masters in Paris. Also, that day, the points from last year’s Masters in London will be deleted. The ATP Finals in London is the only competition on the calendar where points are awarded before it starts.
Djoković would lose 1,600 points on November 4, and even if he wins the title in Paris, he can only recover 1,000 points, which won’t be enough to regain the top spot. He can theoretically return to the throne two weeks later, but only if he wins enough points in London.
However, if he wants to keep the streak alive and increase his chances of retaining the crown, he will have to ask for the wildcards and win new points.
On the other hand, Nadal has confirmed his participation at the exhibition tournament in Nur-Sultan on October 24, while Djoković’s status is still pending. Clearly, he must think twice before signing up for the exhibition as it takes place at the same time as the tournaments in Basel and Vienna.
The Masters 1000 in Paris starts on October 28, followed by the ATP Finals in London (November 10-17). Djoković will defend as many as 1,600 points in these tournaments, while the Spaniard has no points to lose. The 32-Serb was defeated in the finals of Paris, while Alexander Zverev got the best of him in London.
