Novak Djokovic is among a long list of players currently battling it out for the remaining spots at the ATP Finals.

Djokovic wants to play at the ATP Finals, but right now he is among the few players who are on the outside looking in. Three of the eight places have already been confirmed, with Ben Shelton qualifying for the ATP Finals most recently, following in the footsteps of Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz.

However, Djokovic certainly won’t give up without a fight, as he has proven time and again throughout his sensational career. The Serbian can hold his head high regardless of his fate this year, but there is certainly an argument to be made that he is very deserving of a spot already.

Novak Djokovic deserves to be at the ATP Finals

Given his understandable physical issues at the age of 39, Djokovic has been very cautious with his schedule in the 2026 season. And that has meant committing to just nine tournaments at this stage of the campaign, which would have been unheard of during his prime.

However, the ATP legend has been able to impress at many of those tournaments, particularly at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the China Open. He reached the final in Melbourne and the semifinal in London, before Djokovic claimed the title in Beijing. And those displays have proven very significant in the Race to Turin, for which he is currently ranked 11th.

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There's not many tournaments left to play…

Despite playing just 27 matches, Djokovic has managed to remain in strong contention for an ATP Finals place. In stark contrast, his nearest rivals in the race have been regular fixtures in the ATP calendar. With over 60 matches to their names, Alex de Minaur and Tommy Paul have been among the busiest players in 2026, with Rafael Jodar right up there with them. Daniil Medvedev and Frances Tiafoe have been even busier, and are also heavily involved in the battle for the year-end event.

The fact that Djokovic has been able to keep pace with his nearest competitors despite his complete lack of appearances is truly remarkable, and arguably means he deserves one of the remaining spots more than anyone else. He’s clearly worked extremely hard when fit and available, with his strategy certainly working in his favour.

Djokovic will indeed return to the court very shortly, having accepted a wildcard to play at the Basel Open. The legendary figure is clearly keen to climb the Race to Turin standings sooner rather than later, hoping for another lengthy run before one final chance to boost his tally at the Paris Masters.