Novak Djokovic abruptly quits Six Kings Slam match with Taylor Fritz after brutal battle
Novak Djokovic has retired from his Six Kings Slam third-place playoff versus Taylor Fritz after a grueling first set in the third-place playoff
Novak Djokovic bowed out of his Six Kings Slam third-place playoff against Taylor Fritz after the first set. It comes after Djokovic made a retirement statement that will leave his dad disappointed.
The initial set between the two tennis titans in the penultimate match of the tournament — whose eventual winner will take home $6 million — stretched beyond an hour and 15 minutes before Fritz clinched victory in the tiebreak. After falling behind 1-0, Djokovic decided to retire.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion slowly approached the umpire, exchanged a few words, and then congratulated Fritz. The spectators were left somewhat puzzled as Djokovic decided he could not continue.
The Serb offered an apology to the crowd, raising his hands in the air, while Fritz clinched third place. Both Djokovic and Fritz pocketed a cool $1.5 million appearance fee just for participating in the event.
The Six Kings Slam in Riyadh showcased six of the top men's stars in tennis battling it out in a single-elimination tournament, with the victor bagging a cool $6 million. Djokovic — as well as Carlos Alcaraz — was given a bye in the first round, which saw Jannik Sinner triumph over Stefanos Tsitsipas while Fritz knocked out Alexander Zverev.
Fritz fell short in his semifinal against world No. 1 Alcaraz, while Djokovic was defeated in straight sets by Sinner.
That sets up a showdown between Alcaraz and Sinner for the multi-million dollar prize, a rematch of last year's final.
It's a tough break for Djokovic, who held an 11-0 record against Fritz prior to the match in Saudi Arabia, and fans will be hoping that his withdrawal isn't due to injury.
The 38-year-old has secured his spot for the 2025 ATP Finals in Turin, but this recent turn of events could cast doubt on his potential participation.
READ MORE: LeBron James' partner abandons plans for $5B league that would rival NBA as new goal setREAD MORE: Serena Williams receives apology as Stephen A. Smith confronted by tennis icon's husbandDjokovic emerged victorious in Turin in both 2022 and 2023, however, he hasn't fully outlined his schedule from now until the season's end.
He has only confirmed his attendance at the Athens ATP 250.