Paris Masters director hopes 'huge champion' Djokovic will return following 2025 absence

No man in Paris Masters history has won as many titles at the event as Djokovic, who is a seven-time champion - with two further runner-up finishes to his name.

The Serbian sealed his record-extending seventh title in 2023, defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the final, though he withdrew from his title defence in 2024 and has again decided to skip the event in 2025.

Aged 38, Djokovic has contested a limited schedule in recent seasons, with the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion looking to maintain peak fitness in his quest to win a 25th major.

The Serbian last played on tour at the Shanghai Masters earlier this month, falling to surprise champion Valentin Vacherot in straight sets in the semi-final.

He has already committed to playing at the Hellenic Championships in Athens, which take place the week after the action in Paris, with no decision yet announced on his participation in the ATP Finals.

Though Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are both in Paris action, Djokovic's withdrawal for the second straight year is undoubtedly a blow, with the former world No 1 remaining one of the biggest stars in the sport.

And, with the Serbian turning 39 in May, it is possible that he may not compete at the Masters 1000 event again, as he looks to prioritise the four Grand Slam tournaments and fully rest in between them.

That scenario was directly put to Paris tournament director Pioline, a former world No 5 and two-time major finalist, ahead of this year's event.

In a pre-tournament press conference, Pioline was asked: "Two questions in one. We saw how Novak Djokovic left the court in May at Roland Garros. He is not present again this year for the second year in a row. Are you afraid that tennis fans in Paris will never see Novak Djokovic in their city again?"

Pioline joked that the question was "horrible" in his response, and revealed his "hope" that Djokovic would one day return despite withdrawing for the second straight season.

He said: "What a horrible question! What a horrible question!

"I hope we'll see Djokovic again, that the fans will see him again. He's a huge champion, he's the record holder for Rolex Paris Masters titles. I hope we'll have the opportunity to see him again.

"It's true that time goes by for everyone, and for him, 38 is old. He's said it himself in recent days, that his body is 15 years older. Being competitive like he is, because he plays very little, a dozen tournaments this year.

"He's performing well, he's been a semi-finalist in all the Grand Slams, a semi-finalist again in Shanghai, but we saw that it was difficult. Plus, this year, they had terrible humidity there."

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