24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic is expected to return to action at the ATP Finals 2024, which will be held from November 10-17. However, his participation is contingent on his qualification for the same. He is currently sixth in the Race to Turin with 3,910 points, with a few rivals breathing down on his neck.

Djokovic opted to give the Paris Masters a miss, which has opened the door for other players to overtake him. However, with his closest rivals either being in the middle of a slump or inconsistent, the Serb’s chances of being in Turin to defend his title remain quite high.

The 37-year-old’s decision to skip the season’s final Masters tournament did come as a slight shock, especially in the wake of his return to form. He was knocked out by Alexei Popyrin in the third round of the US Open as a part of his title defense. He bounced back with a runner-up finish at the Shanghai Masters, with Jannik Sinner handing him yet another loss in the summit clash.

Djokovic then participated in the debut edition of the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition event in Saudi Arabia. While he lost to Sinner in the semifinals, he beat his old rival Rafael Nadal to finish the tournament in third place. It was also the last time the two legends of the sport shared a court as the Spaniard is set to retire at the Davis Cup Finals in a couple of weeks.

At the moment, the Serb’s participation in the ATP Finals is up in the air. However, if he makes the cut for the year-end championships, then there will be more history on the line for him.

Novak Djokovic will aim to capture a record-extending eighth title at the ATP Finals

If Djokovic qualifies for this year’s ATP Finals, then he will have his sights set on a record eighth title. He defeated Sinner in last year’s final to claim his seventh crown, and surpassed Roger Federer’s tally of six trophies with his win.

That is not all, as this would also be a quest for his 100th career title. His only title of the season came at the Paris Olympics, where he finally had the gold medal around his neck. Aside from his above-mentioned runner-up finish at the Shanghai Masters, he also lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, in a rematch of last year’s showdown for the title.

Djokovic would also be keen to participate in this year’s ATP Finals to avoid a drop in the rankings. While he’s likely to remain in the top 10 even if he doesn’t participate, his potential ranking could be anywhere between No. 7 and 10, depending on the results of other players. This would mean running into either Alcaraz or Sinner prior to the semifinals of the Australian Open next year, something he would rather avoid.