"We had a laugh about it" - Lorenzo Musetti reveals how he feels about Novak Djokovic's last-minute ATP Finals withdrawal after 'strange' situation

Lorenzo Musetti revealed his immediate reaction to learning that he has qualified for the ATP Finals even after losing the Hellenic Championship to Novak Djokovic. Musetti needed to win the final in Athens to qualify for the year-end title, but after he lost to Djokovic, the Serb withdrew from the ATP Finals.

The ATP Finals lineup remained uncertain until the very last days, with the final qualifying spot coming down to a tight race between Felix Auger-Aliassime and Lorenzo Musetti. The Italian's path was straightforward as he had to win the ATP 250 event in Greece to secure his place in Turin.

However, his loss in the final opened the door for Auger-Aliassime to qualify instead. Adding to the drama, Djokovic’s participation in the ATP Finals was also in question despite his qualification. In a surprising move, the World No. 4 chose to compete in the same Greek event, where he faced Musetti in the title match.

After Djokovic’s victory, it seemed Musetti’s hopes were over, until the Serb unexpectedly withdrew from the ATP Finals due to an injury, shortly after his triumph. Speaking to reporters in Turin, Musetti was asked about the whole situation.

"Of course, I think the strange situation was that he was playing literally the week before the Masters. That could be a little bit strange for a player who is already qualified," he said (via Tennis.com).

He also revealed that he shared a laugh with the Serb when Djokovic told him at the net, right after their Athens final, that he would be withdrawing from the ATP Finals.

"Of course, when he told me at the net after the match that he was not coming, honestly, we had a laugh about it. I was curious all week. I was curious if he was coming or not," Musetti added.

Musetti joins Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur in the Jimmy Connors group at the year-end championships.

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"I prefer [to play] Lorenzo Musetti" - Carlos Alcaraz opens up about ATP Finals drama involving Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti at the Hellenic Championship - Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alex de Minaur in the opening Round Robin match at the ATP Finals. The Spaniard admitted after the match to reporters with a laugh that he would rather face Lorenzo Musetti than Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals.

"To be honest, I prefer [to play] Lorenzo. I'm not going to lie," he said (via Tennis.com).

He acknowledged that having Djokovic in the group would make things significantly tougher, citing the Serb’s vast experience and exceptional level on indoor courts. Reflecting on their 2023 meeting, Alcaraz noted that despite playing well, he was comprehensively beaten by Djokovic.

The Spaniard added that if Musetti is competing in Turin, it’s fully deserved given the outstanding level he has displayed throughout the season.

"If he's there, he deserves it because of the level he has put on the matches, the tournaments he has done this year, and the level he showed this year... It was really, really high. Let's see how he's going to be, how he's going to adapt. He's coming from Athens, and he couldn't feel the court at all," he added.

Musetti will begin his campaign in Turin with a match against World No. 6 Taylor Fritz. The Italian leads their head-to-head 3-2 after winning all three of their encounters in 2024.

Edited by Aliasgar Ayaz