Novak Djokovic retired from his third-place playoff match at the Six Kings Slam on Saturday after losing the first set to Taylor Fritz.
Fritz had just clinched the set 7-6 when Djokovic shook hands with the American, ending both their campaigns in Saudi Arabia for another year.
The Serbian star could not carry on after the 75-minute first set, and he apologised to the fans afterwards.
Djokovic has struggled with his physical fitness in recent weeks, most notably during the Shanghai Masters semi-final loss to Valentin Vacherot.
Djokovic has an obvious decision to make following his retirement in Riyadh, one that could help him reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Novak Djokovic should withdraw from the ATP Finals
Novak Djokovic is the most successful player in the history of the ATP Finals, having won seven titles, and he will most certainly want to add to his total in 2025.
However, following a year of fitness concerns, Djokovic should skip the event to prepare adequately for the 2026 Australian Open.
The 38-year-old has dealt with numerous injury problems in 2025, including at the Australian Open, French Open, and during the Asian swing. He should not risk his health further by competing in an extremely intense tournament amid ongoing physical fitness concerns.
This point is particularly pertinent when considering Djokovic’s first major test in 2026.
Djokovic’s best chance to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title will be at the 2026 Australian Open, a tournament he has won 10 times.
Djokovic will not want to pick up a serious injury ahead of the Australian Open, and therefore needs to take a preventive measure to aid his chances of winning the title in Australia.
Djokovic’s first Australian Open title
Novak Djokovic won the first of his 24 Grand Slam titles at the 2008 Australian Open.
Seeded third, the Serbian legend defeated Benjamin Becker, Simone Bolelli, Sam Querrey, Lleyton Hewitt and David Ferrer on his way to the last four.
In the semi-final, Djokovic stunned top seed Roger Federer 7-5, 6-3, 7-6.
In the final, Djokovic faced unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who demolished Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| First Round | Benjamin Becker | 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 |
| Second Round | Simone Bolelli | 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 |
| Third Round | Sam Querrey | 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 |
| Fourth Round | Lleyton Hewitt | 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 |
| Quarter-final | David Ferrer | 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 |
| Semi-final | Roger Federer | 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 |
| Final | Jo-Wilfried Tsonga | 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 |
Djokovic proved too strong for Tsonga, winning their contest 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6.
