Djokovic To Arrive In Paris Today, But Will He Play?

Written by: Staff on 9th November 2011

BNP Paribas 2011 Masters Tennis Tournament

Djokovic To Arrive In Paris Today, But Will He Play?

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Ivan Dodig of Croatia during their second round match at the BNP Paribas 2011 Masters Tennis tournament in Paris, France, 09 November 2011. EPA/HORACIO VILLALOBOS |

Novak Djokovic is set to finally arrive at the BNP Paribas Masters at Paris’ Palais Omnisports de Bercy later today but with his chances of participation in the year’s final Masters 1000 event still quoted as nothing better than 50/50 he stands to lose $1.6 million in bonuses by not playing.

The ATP World Tour’s rules lay down leading players should contest eight mandated tournaments and if Djokovic pulls out of Bercy, he will have played only six.

It could be that a doctor’s certificate stating Djokovic, who has won five of the Masters 1000 events he’s played and was forced to quit the final of Cincinnati against Andy Murray because of aggravation to serving shoulder that is again troubling him, would affect the fine. But come what may, by not playing, the world no.1 will forfeit his chunk of the tour’s bonus pool.

The ATP World Tour board met last night (Monday) to decide whether, if Djokovic is legitimately forced to withdraw, it could reduce the heavy financial imposition laid down in the rules. The case in his defense states he has certainly played his part in shaping men’s tennis throughout 2011, winning three grand-slam tournaments — Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open — as well as lifting the Masters trophies in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome and Montreal.

However the ATP World Tour’s hierarchy is very sensitive to the plight of the Paris event that next year immediately precedes the World Tour Finals in London. Fears are not unfounded that marquee players, already qualified, could miss the event and world no.2 Rafael Nadal has already intimated by his withdrawal that his priorities are London and the Davis Cup final.

Nadal escaped a financial penalty because he has played more than 600 matches on the ATP Tour and therefore receives an exemption from one of the mandated events. Djokovic is exactly 100 matches short of that cut-off line.

“DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”