Key Highlights
- No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic set to return at the Hellenic Championship in Athens.
- Stefanos Tsitsipas withdraws from the tournament, ending his season early due to injury.
- Djokovic could face a familiar foe in Tabilo or Marozsan during the tournament.
- Tsitsipas has played just one unofficial match since September and is at risk of being unseeded at the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic Returns to Athens: Hellenic Championship Draw Revealed
Athens, Greece – Novak Djokovic will make his return to competition next week as he takes part in the ATP 250 Hellenic Championship at the Athens Indoor Hall. The draw for the tournament has been officially released, with top seed Djokovic looking forward to a familiar foe in his first match.
Djokovic’s First Match: A Familiar Face?
The Serbian tennis star could face Alejandro Tabilo or Adam Walton in the second round. Tabilo is one of three players who have beaten Djokovic twice, with a rare 0-2 record against him. Other notable names in Djokovic’s half include Nuno Borges at No. 6 seed and ‘giant killer’ Fabian Marozsan.
Stefanos Tsitsipas Withdraws from the Tournament
Despite having longed for a tour-level event in Greece, world No. 26 Stefanos Tsitsipas will miss out on his home tournament. The Greek player’s season is over after he was forced to pull out due to an injury. This marks Tsitsipas’ third withdrawal from an ATP Tour event this year, following the China Open, Shanghai Masters, and Vienna 500.
Tsitsipas has been playing just one unofficial match since September and lost to Jannik Sinner in a Six Kings Slam exhibition earlier this month.
This comes after he lost to Joao Fonseca during their Davis Cup tie in mid-September. His participation at the Six Kings Slam was his first official appearance, where he earned £1.1 million for playing just one match.
Impact on Tsitsipas’ Ranking
The Greek star’s absence from the Hellenic Championship could see him drop outside of the world’s top 30 by November 17th, which would be his lowest year-end ranking since 2017. If he drops below No. 32 by this date, he will be unseeded at the upcoming Australian Open in January.
“After retiring from the Six Kings Slam, Djokovic said he had some physical problems that he wanted to address before playing his final tournaments of the season,” stated a spokesperson for ATP Tour. “His last tour-level appearance came at the Shanghai Masters where he appeared to pick up an injury during his semi-final loss.”
Djokovic is set to face a grueling schedule in Athens, but his return to competition is eagerly anticipated by fans and fellow players alike.
