Novak Djokovic is set for a very important stretch of the season as she looks to qualify for the ATP Finals at the end of the year.

Djokovic currently sits at 11th in the race to the ATP Finals, so he will likely need deep runs at his next two tournaments to give himself a chance to qualify for the year-end event.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion took a wildcard into the Swiss Indoors following the Six Kings Slam getting delayed from October to December, similar to Carlos Alcaraz taking a wildcard into the Vienna Open.

Djokovic has not played the ATP Finals since 2023, when he lifted the title, and he has explanied his absence in a recent interview with Sportal.

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“Simply, such a decision was made the previous two years, I wanted to finish the season earlier in 2024, which I did, in mid-October. I had a shoulder injury last year,” said Djokovic.

“When I finished the tournament in Athens, a day or two before the start of the tournament in Turin, the results showed that I had torn certain muscles in my shoulder, so I decided to skip it.

“If I had been healthy, I probably would have gone, but I was heavily medicated for that Athens to play to the end. This year I would like to go to Turin. I have a chance, we’ll see,” he added.

Djokovic also confirmed that he is excited for the European indoor circuit because he will not have to deal with any external factors.

“Another motivation for adding a tournament this indoor season is because I think it will be easier for me physically indoors because there is no heat, no sun, no external factors that I face when I play outside,” explained the star. “It will mean a lot to me and we hope for the best.”

Djokovic has struggled with the weather several times throughout the 2026 season, especially on the North American hardcourt swing as he was beaten in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

The Serbian holds a record of 202 wins and 50 losses on indoor hardcourts, which has helped him collect seven ATP Finals and seven Paris Masters.

The star will be hoping to reignite that form so he can qualify for the ATP Finals once again. He is currently vying for a place against the likes of Alex de Minaur, Arthur Fils, Taylor Fritz, and Frances Tiafoe.

The top nine players will qualify for the event this year, with Jannik Sinner already confirming that he would not be playing the tournament.