Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the ATP Masters 1000 event to be played from 4-15 October.

“Over the years, some of the best support I receive anywhere in the world is in China,” Djokovic wrote on social media. “Shanghai has always been one of my favourite tournaments in the season. I will be missing my #NoleFam in China. I hope that I can come back to China in the future and play in front of all of you again.”

Over the years, some of the best support I receive anywhere in the world is in China. Shanghai has always been one of my favorite tournaments in the season. I will be missing my #NoleFam in China. I hope that I can come back to China in the future and play in front of all of you…

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) September 17, 2023

Djokovic just won his 24th major title at the US Open after claiming his 39th Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati.

The 36-year-old has won the Shanghai tournament four times and owns a 34-5 record at the event. The Serbian in 2008 triumphed at the Nitto ATP Finals when it was held in Shanghai.

Rolex Shanghai Masters Tournament Director Michael Luevano said in a press release: “It is disappointing not to have Novak at our tournament as it has always been a pleasure hosting him here. All of us wish him the very best. He has had a very full year and we hope he remains fit and healthy, and we definitely look forward to welcoming him back to the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

“This year’s tournament promises to be among the best we have ever staged. We are excited to welcome back our defending champion Daniil Medvedev along with some of the most exciting and brilliant young players in world tennis. Guys like Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner, who are all making the trip to Shanghai for the first time and will be joined by such popular figures like Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev.”

The Rolex Shanghai Masters, Asia’s only Masters 1000 tournament, will have a 96 singles draw, offer prize money of more than US$8.8million and will be played over two weeks for the first time.

In a winner-takes-all tie between Great Britain and France, Daniel Evans and Neal Skupski delivered on Sunday in the deciding doubles match to guide Great Britain to the Davis Cup Final 8 at their opponents’ expense.

In front of an electric crowd in Manchester, Evans and Skupski saved four match points to earn a hard-fought 1-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(6) victory against Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

Evans and Skupski held serve from 4-5, 0/40 in the third set, before they raised their level in the third-set tie-break to triumph after two hours and 50 minutes. Evans and Skupski’s win clinched a 2-1 tie win for Great Britain.

“I don’t know how we won that match,” Skupski said. “Sheer fight. Evo produced an unbelievable performance to win in the singles then to come back and win with me. It is an unbelievable effort from him.”

Earlier, Evans had given Great Britain a 1-0 lead in Manchester when he defeated #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The World No. 27 Evans was competing in his 25th Davis Cup tie, drawing level with third-placed Andy Murray on the most played by a British player.

Ugo Humbert then levelled the tie when he downed Cameron Norrie 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5 in two hours and 47 minutes.

Great Britain joins Group B runners-up Australia in the Davis Cup knockout rounds in Malaga in November.

Croatia Overcomes The Netherlands
Already-eliminated Croatia beat The Netherlands 2-1 in Group D in Split.

Duje Ajdukovic and Mate Pavic moved past Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 to seal a first Group D win for their country.

In the first rubber of the day, Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp beat Ajdukovic 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Borna Gojo then defeated Tallon Griekspoor 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. The Netherlands had qualified from Group D after downing the United States and Finland.

Italy advanced to the Davis Cup Final 8 on Sunday when singles wins from Matteo Arnaldi and Lorenzo Sonego gave their country an unassailable 2-0 lead against already-eliminated Sweden.

Italy needed just one win from its three ties against Sweden in Bologna to qualify from Group A and Arnaldi quickly delivered.

The 22-year-old, who reached the fourth round at the US Open, defeated Sweden’s Leo Borg 6-4, 6-3 in one and 22 minutes to secure his country a place in the Davis Cup knockout rounds in Malaga this November.

Sonego then overcame Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-4 to move Italy 2-0 ahead. The result means the former champion will join Group A winners Canada in the next round. Italy has now advanced to the Davis Cup quarter-finals five times since 2016. Last year it reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual champion Canada.

Spain Defeat South Korea
Already-eliminated Spain ended its Group C campaign on a high with victory against South Korea.

The former champion lost its first two ties against group winners Czech Republic and second-placed Serbia, so was unable to qualify for the Final 8 despite the result against South Korea on Sunday in Valencia.

They finished third in Group C, though, with Bernabe Zapata Miralles beating Hong Seongchan 6-4, 7-5, before Alejandro Davidovich Fokina downed Soonwoo Kwon 6-4, 6-4.

South Korea finished fourth in Group C.

With the ATP Tour entering the Asian Swing, the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin continues to heat up.

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev have already punched their tickets for the Nitto ATP Finals, with a number of stars hoping to perform well over the coming weeks in a bid to join them in Turin. Jannik Sinner is currently fourth in the Live Race To Turin on 4,365 points and looks in a good position to qualify for the prestigious year-end event for the first time.

The Italian, who won his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto last month, competed on home soil in Turin as an alternate two years ago. Sinner’s next scheduled to compete in Beijing later this month.

Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin

Behind Sinner there are just 630 points separating fifth-placed Andrey Rublev (3,640 points) and ninth-placed Taylor Fritz (3,010 points). Rublev is aiming to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 12-19 November, for the fourth consecutive year, while Fritz was a semi-finalist at the event in 2022.

Alexander Zverev (3,030 points) is currently just inside the cut in eighth. The two-time champion will look to build on his US Open quarter-final run in the coming weeks. Stefanos Tsitsipas, sixth (3,570 points), and Holger Rune, seventh (3,055 points), make up the Top 8. Rune last won consecutive tour-level matches at Wimbledon.

Last year’s finalist Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe are 10th to 13th, respectively. All four will need deep runs during the Asian swing to increase their qualification hopes.