On Monday, the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic organizers confirmed Novak Djokovic’s participation in the exhibition match and even announced Karen Khachanov as his opening-round opponent. But the excitement was short-lived. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has now made a dramatic last-minute withdrawal, raising fresh concerns ahead of The Championships.

Novak Djokovic’s name is no longer listed among the participants on the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic’s official website. The Serbian’s withdrawal appears to have happened without much attention.

Instead, the current world ranking of No. 105, Martin Damm, has been added to the draw who is now scheduled to face Karen Khachanov on Wednesday. Evidently, neither the player nor the exhibition tournament released any formal announcement explaining the decision.

When the original lineup was announced on Monday, it was confirmed that the 39-year-old would face the 30-year-old Russian on Wednesday at the Hurlingham Club. 

“We are delighted to welcome such an exceptional field of players to The Hurlingham Club this year. Novak’s return to the exhibition, alongside Jannik Sinner’s debut appearance, promises a fantastic week of world-class tennis,” the tournament director Nikhil Waugh said at the time.

The Serb has been a regular participant at the exhibition event over the last few years. The seven-time Wimbledon winner made back-to-back appearances at the event in 2022 and 2023, and during those editions, he defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe.

However, in 2025, things turned out differently for the Serbian GOAT. He was beaten by the same Russian opponent at the exhibition, and now his unexpected withdrawal has raised fresh questions just days before SW19 begins.

Why SW19 means so much for Novak Djokovic this time

The 39-year-old Serb has played a limited schedule in 2026, entering only 4th tournaments and winning 9 matches. His most recent appearance came at the recently concluded French Open, where he suffered a shocking third-round defeat to Joao Fonseca. Since then, he has not played any tournaments leading up to SW19 and has mostly shared personal updates, including celebrating his wife’s 40th birthday.

Despite that setback, the All-England Club still represents his best chance to compete for another Grand Slam title. Very few venues across the world have brought Nole as much success as The Championships. Since 2011, the 24-time Grand Slam winner has won 7 SW19 titles and reached 10 finals in his previous 14 appearances.

The quicker grass courts help the Serbian ‌to play shorter rallies and reduce the physical demands of long matches. That has become even more important as the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist moves closer to his 40th birthday. 

Carlos Alcaraz is not in the draw due to his wrist injury, while defending champion Jannik Sinner appears to be the biggest obstacle. Even so, Novak Djokovic believes he has a genuine opportunity to make another deep run and continue his remarkable grass-court Slam legacy.

However, after his latest withdrawal from the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic, fresh questions remain over whether he will be at his very best when he steps onto the Centre Court for his opening match.