Novak Djokovic, the seven-time ATP Finals champion, has announced his withdrawal from the season-ending tournament in Turin due to a persistent shoulder injury. The decision comes just hours after Djokovic secured his 101st career title at the Hellenic Championship in Athens, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in a grueling three-hour match, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Musetti, the runner-up in Athens, will now replace Djokovic in the ATP Finals, which begin on Sunday. Djokovic expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, ‘I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best. But after today’s final in Athens, I’m sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury.’ The 38-year-old tennis legend revealed that he had been managing the injury throughout the Athens tournament and decided to delay his withdrawal announcement to assess his condition. ‘After yesterday’s match, I was hoping that it was not going to flare up. But today, even before the match, it was not great. I had to take strong medications to be able to play,’ Djokovic explained. He concluded that competing in Turin against the world’s top eight players would be impossible under the circumstances. Musetti’s inclusion marks a historic moment for Italian tennis, as he joins Jannik Sinner to become the first two Italian singles players to qualify for the same edition of the ATP Finals. This will also be Musetti’s debut at the prestigious event. Alexander Bublik has been named the first alternate.