Novak Djokovic withdraws from the ATP Finals after winning his 101st title

Novak Djokovic claimed the 101st title of his career by winning the Greek Championships, but was then forced to withdraw from the ATP Finals due to injury.

The Serbian player recovered from a difficult confrontation with Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the final on Saturday in Athens and came back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

But the 24-time Grand Slam champion’s victory came at a price, as Djokovic suffered an aggravation of a “persistent” shoulder injury that will keep him out of the ATP Finals in Turin, which starts on November 9.

“I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best, but after today’s final in Athens, I am sad that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury,” Djokovic wrote on social media.

“I’m really sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play – your support means a lot. I wish all the players an amazing tournament, and I can’t wait to be back on the field with you all soon.”

The 38-year-old Djokovic will be replaced in the finals by Musetti, who believed his chance to compete in Turin was gone after his defeat.

On an action-packed day on the ATP Tour, Britain’s Cameron Norrie squandered his sixth career title while American youngster Lerner Tian came back to claim his first title via tie-break at the Moselle Open in France.

Nouri (30 years old), who was seeking to win his first title in more than two years, made a bold display to overcome a set late and then broke his serve in the decisive set.

He led 5-1 in the tie-break before allowing the 19-year-old Tian to come back after a series of unforced errors, eventually losing 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6).