Overview
- The withdrawal means he will arrive in Melbourne without a competitive warm-up, with main draw play at the Australian Open starting January 18.
- He has not played an ATP match since winning the Athens 250 final over Lorenzo Musetti on November 8.
- The 38-year-old has trimmed his schedule to prioritize majors as he chases a record 25th Grand Slam and an 11th title in Melbourne.
- His 2025 campaign was disrupted by physical issues, including a hamstring problem and a mid-event retirement, raising concerns about best‑of‑five endurance.
- Recent coverage positions Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the form players at the majors and the chief obstacles to his title bid.