After winning his seventh China Open title in Beijing, Novak Djokovic seemed like he was on his way to yet another ATP Finals. He would have only needed to make it to the semifinals in Paris to get one of those last cherished spots, but he was eliminated early by a No. 83 Australian player.

Djokovic Defeated by Rinky Hijikata

Djokovic lost to qualifier Rinky Hijikata during the second round of the Paris Masters tournament after three tough sets. The Serbian player should have been able to defeat his Australian opponent with ease and seemed to be doing just that when the first set ended 2-6. However, Hijikata had a massive comeback and took the next two sets 6-3, 6-3.

“He was switched on,” Djokovic said in the post-match interview. “I wasn't serving as well and he was just playing out of his mind, honestly. He was not missing and keeping the ball low and just a terrific performance … He played really amazing tennis and it was my fault to let the control of the match go.”

End of Djokovic’s ATP Finals Streak

Djokovic’s defeat at the Paris Masters means that he will not qualify for the ATP Finals for only the second time in 20 years. He last failed to qualify for the year-end competition in 2017 when he ended his season early due to a right elbow injury. 

The Serbian player has qualified for every other ATP Finals since he first competed there in 2007 at just 20 years old. In fact, Djokovic holds the record for most titles at the event by winning seven times in 2008, 2012-2015, and then in 2022 and 2023. He qualified through rankings in 2024 and 2025 but withdrew both times due to injury.

What This Means For Djokovic’s 2027 Season

After the loss to Hijikata, Djokovic said that his plan for the next few weeks was to “just rest … I’m looking forward to it.” The player’s season ending much earlier than the rest of the top ATP players means he will have more time to rest and train before the next season starts. The Serb can also spend the time strategizing with his team about how to best move forward.

The first major tournament of the 2027 season will be the Australian Open, and it happens to be Djokovic’s best. He has won that particular Grand Slam a record-setting 11 times, with his last title there in 2023. The 39-year-old player also made the final again this past year and lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. With the right amount of rest and rehabilitation plus a mixed men’s field, there may be hope yet for Djokovic’s early 2027 success.

ATP Finals Field Without Djokovic

Due to a lackluster 2026 season, the ATP Finals field without Djokovic will look very much the same as it would with him. The Serbian player somewhat peaked at the very beginning of the season when he became the oldest finalist in the history of the Australian Open. He was then eliminated from the French Open during the third round, Wimbledon during the semifinals, and the US Open through a first-round upset.

With Sinner out for the rest of the season due to injury, the three biggest contenders for this year’s ATP Finals crown are Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Ben Shelton. Alcaraz just won the Vienna Open but is still recovering, Zverev is ranked No. 1 at last but just had his own early exit in Paris, and Shelton is following up a phenomenal US Open run with mixed results. 

The other three men who have qualified for Turin so far are Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, and Arthur Fils. All three, especially Cobolli and Fils, have played some of their best tennis this season despite various ups and downs. In such an unusual men’s singles season, Djokovic is out, and the ATP Finals crown could belong to almost anyone who qualifies.