Djokovic withdraws from the prestigious tournament he has won twice before

Novak Djokovic seems to require more time to recuperate after reaching the final of this year’s Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic will not participate in the ATP 500 Qatar Open 2026 in Doha next week — a tournament he has previously won twice.

At 38 years old, Djokovic began the 2026 season impressively at the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year. He reached his 38th Grand Slam final and became the oldest male player to compete in the singles final at Melbourne Park. His journey once again demonstrated the resilience and elite level he has maintained for nearly two decades.

In the semifinals, Djokovic delivered a classic match against Jannik Sinner, winning 3-6; 6-3; 4-6; 6-4; 6-4 after an intense 4 hours and 9 minutes. He successfully saved 16 of 18 break points, came back twice after trailing, and showcased remarkable defensive skills and endurance.

Entering the final aiming for his 25th Grand Slam title, Nole started energetically against world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz. He secured two early breaks to take the first set 6-2. However, a decline in stamina and form caused the Serbian to lose momentum in the next two sets. Alcaraz capitalized with five breaks of serve in total, closing the match with a 2-6; 6-2; 6-3; 7-5 victory after a decisive break in the 12th game of the fourth set.

Although he could not lift the trophy, Djokovic earned widespread praise for his fighting spirit against the emerging generation dominating the rankings. After the tournament, he took time off to rest, recharge, and planned to visit Cortina to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics..

His withdrawal from Doha indicates that Nole is prioritizing physical recovery ahead of two crucial ATP 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami (USA).

Novak Djokovic won the Qatar Open consecutively in 2016 (defeating Rafael Nadal) and 2017 (beating Andy Murray). Last season, he was eliminated in his opening match against Matteo Berrettini..