With Wimbledon just a few days away, Novak Djokovic has pulled out of an intriguing match

Announced in grand style on Monday by the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic—a prestigious exhibition tournament scheduled to take place in Hurlingham, England—Novak Djokovic is no longer on the draw just a few days before the start of Wimbledon. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, on the other hand, is expected to take the court on Wednesday.

Since 2019, Djokovic has made it a habit to arrive at Wimbledon without having played any official tournaments on grass. The Serbian prefers to participate in an exhibition match in Hurlingham, a neighborhood of London, during the week leading up to the London Grand Slam. This year as well, with Wimbledon set to begin on Monday, June 29, he seemed intent on following the same schedule.

The world No. 8 had been announced with great fanfare on Monday by the organizers of the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic. “The king is back,” read the tournament’s website, referring to the Serbian player who was set to take part in the event for the fifth consecutive time. “Novak Djokovic will face Karen Khachanov on Wednesday, June 24.” Tournament director Nikhil Waugh had also stated: “Novak’s return to this exhibition tournament, along with Jannik Sinner’s first appearance, promises a fantastic week of top-level tennis.”

However, the 39-year-old Serbian, who has been absent from competition since his third-round loss at Roland Garros to Brazilian Joao Fonseca, is no longer listed on the schedule. In his place, American Martin Damm (world No. 105) has been added to the draw and will face Khachanov on Wednesday. Djokovic has also been removed from the list of participants for the 2026 edition, with the tournament providing no official explanation. Nor has the Serbian champion issued any statements on the matter via his social media channels.