“I don’t think Novak’s playing”: John Isner predicts Djokovic will skip ATP Finals – Querrey disagrees

Wednesday, 29 October 2025 at 12:51

The race to Turin is heating up — and so is the debate around whether Novak Djokovic will actually take part in the 2025 ATP Finals. On the latest episode of the Nothing Major podcast, former pros Sam Querrey, John Isner, Steve Johnson, and Jack Sock offered their candid takes on the season-ending showdown, with plenty of insight, humour, and bold predictions.

“So, Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, and Djokovic are locked into Turin,” Querrey began. “There are still four spots open… Fritz, Shelton, De Minaur, and Musetti are the remaining four.” With just one week to go before the final Masters event in Paris, the discussion quickly turned to the question on everyone’s mind: will Djokovic play?

“I don’t think so,” Isner declared flatly. “And I hope I’m wrong. I think everyone would love to see him in Turin. The fact that he’s already qualified playing the schedule that he’s played this year is just completely absurd. At 38 years old, it needs mentioning again. But I don’t think he’s playing. He didn’t play last year. Pulled out of Paris. I think he’s just gearing up for 2026.”

Querrey wasn’t convinced. “I think he’s playing,” he countered, noting Djokovic’s upbeat mood in recent events. “Shanghai seemed like he was in a good mood. Maybe he goes to Turin and thinks like, ‘Oh, maybe I could beat Sinner and Alcaraz in two out of three.’ I think he’s going to play — but you never know.”

“I’d like to see him there”: Mixed views on Djokovic’s schedule

Sock leaned toward Querrey’s optimism, albeit cautiously. “I’m going to go with yes, I think,” he said. “I mean, I don’t like back that fully. But I think slightly more than 50–50, I think he ends up playing.”

Meanwhile, Steve Johnson added a practical angle — and a little humour. “I mean, I hope he doesn’t play,” he admitted. “Because then Paris and the 250 week get more exciting, because then more guys are like on the cut of getting in. But, you know, I’d like to see Novak there personally. Like, he’s the third best player in the world. You want to see him in the World Tour Finals for the 27th time.”

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Querrey, ever the stat keeper, jumped in: “Do you guys think he’s qualified 18 times? That’s stupid. And that’s in a row. I mean, it’s just a joke. Eight times in a row, you’d be like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s insane.’ Eighteen.”

“Good luck making a final with Sinner and Alcaraz in the draw," commented the former world No. 8 John Isner.

Assuming Djokovic plays, the hosts agreed that Lorenzo Musetti holds the last qualifying spot — for now. “Musetti is about 400 points ahead of Felix (Auger-Aliassime)and Casper (Ruud),” Querrey noted. “Assuming Novak plays, is that a big enough lead that Musetti is going to hold on?”

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“I think yes,” Isner replied, though he acknowledged some danger. “One of these guys would just have to win Paris, which is not out of the realm of possibility, but… good luck making a final with Sinner and Alcaraz in the draw, and Alcaraz being fully rested and Sinner just in the zone.”

Querrey agreed but added perspective: “If there’s a tournament that they don’t win, it’s this one, right? We’ve had some unique results here in the past. Maybe these guys are looking ahead.” Isner laughed, recalling his own Paris memories: “Holger Rune won it when he was like 18. The year Jack won it, the semis were Jack, Beneteau, Krajinovic, and me. You see weird results here.”

ATP Race to Turin

#	Player	Age	Ctry	Pts	+/-
1	✓ Carlos Alcaraz	22	ESP	11,040
2	✓ Jannik Sinner	24	ITA	8,600
3	✓ Novak Djoković	38	SRB	4,580
4	✓ Alexander Zverev	28	GER	4,430
	ATP Finals Qualification Cut →			4,400
5	Taylor Fritz	27	USA	3,835
6	Ben Shelton	23	USA	3,770
7	Alex de Minaur	26	AUS	3,735
8	Lorenzo Musetti	23	ITA	3,575
9	Félix Auger-Aliassime	25	CAN	3,195
10	(X) Jack Draper	23	GBR	2,990

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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