Andy Murray has withdrawn from the Great Britain squad for the Davis Cup Final 8, the former World No. 1 has confirmed.

The 36-year-old Murray has picked up a minor shoulder injury which has ruled him out of his country’s quarter-final clash with Serbia, which is scheduled to take place in Malaga on Thursday.

All the best in recovery, @andy_murray 💚#DavisCup | @the_LTA pic.twitter.com/mpxCSb2Lsz

— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 18, 2023

Murray played a major role in Great Britain’s run to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Captain Leon Smith can still fall back on a strong squad for the nation’s quarter-final tie, however. Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper will likely lead the singles charge against a Serbia team led by World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, while Smith also has Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski available for doubles selection.

The 2023 Davis Cup concludes in Malaga from 21-26 November, when The Final 8 teams compete in a knockout format to decide the winner of the annual teams event.

Like many ATP Tour stars, Jannik Sinner’s pre-match routine is meticulously planned out. The World No. 4 employs a team of top professionals to ensure he is in the best shape — physically, mentally, and tactically — to step on court and face some of the best players in the world.

Yet the last words spoken to the home favourite prior to his Nitto ATP Finals clash with Holger Rune on Thursday evening didn’t come from either of his coaches, Simone Vagnozzi or Darren Cahill. Instead, it was Matteo Testai, a seven-year-old who accompanied Sinner on court as part of the mascot kid programme presented by Nitto, who gave the Italian a final pre-match boost.

“He was a funny kid, [it was a] funny moment,” Sinner later told ATPTour.com when asked about young Matteo’s words as the pair walked on court together at the Pala Alpitour. “He said, ‘Let’s go, let’s go, Jannik. We are all rooting for you’.

“It was really nice. Getting these young kids the opportunity to go out, not only with the player but seeing the court from the inside and everything, it’s really nice.”

Sinner went on to defeat Rune in a three-set thriller to the delight of a raucous home crowd in Turin. The 22-year-old has spoken a lot this week about relishing the chance to compete at the prestigious season finale in his home country, and he acknowledged that taking to court with a young fan was another aspect that makes the Nitto ATP Finals experience unique.

“I think it makes it special for the players,” said Sinner of the mascot programme, which was launched by Nitto in 2017. “We have so many times in the year that we walk on alone. Here it is a little bit different with the mascot, so it’s nice.”

The walk-on mascots at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals are all from Casa UGI, a a Turin-based volunteer organisation that supports children who are battling cancer and their families, doctors, nurses and volunteers. The children participating have either struggled with an illness or have a family member who is battling one.

Novak Djokovic and a Nitto ATP Finals mascot” />

_{^{World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is accompanied onto court by a Nitto ATP Finals mascot. Photo: Nitto/Siobhan Hennessy}}

The organisation’s President, Dr. Enrico Pira, was happy that Casa UGI could be part of the programme, in which a child accompanies every singles player on court for each of their matches at this year’s season finale.

“Participating with an active role in such an event as the Nitto ATP Finals is a source of joy and great pride for our children and for the entire organisation of Casa UGI,” said Pira. “Entering the court with the best players in the world and experiencing this unique role of mascot provides the children with a moment of strength and positive energy that remains in their hearts and minds while they are engaged with their families in the fight against the disease.

“Our thanks go to Nitto and this big family for the friendship and support they show us on this special occasion.”

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will meet on Saturday in a tantalising semi-final showdown at the Nitto ATP Finals. Since their first clash at the 2022 Mutua Madrid Open, the stars have shown their games and fighting spirits make for memorable matchups.

Before their Turin battle, ATPTour.com looks back at all four of their previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings.

Madrid 2022, SF, Alcaraz d. Djokovic 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5)
The 2022 Mutua Madrid Open was where Alcaraz showed he was more than just a talented player on the rise. After a memorable win against countryman Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals, his tournament did not get any easier against top seed Djokovic.

In the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head encounter, Djokovic received a full taste of what Alcaraz is capable of. The home favourite brought a selection of power and finesse to the Caja Magica.

Alcaraz hit 51 winners compared to 24 for Djokovic, and sent the Serbian scrambling with plenty of drop shots. When it came time to seal the match, the teen did it in style with a booming forehand winner to upset the World No. 1 after three hours and 36 minutes and become the first player to beat Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court tournament.

“I know that I played a really good game,” Alcaraz said. “For the rest of the season I think I am able to play against the best players in the world and beat them as well, so it gives me a lot of confidence.”

Carlos Alcaraz” />
^{Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}
Roland Garros 2023, SF, Djokovic d. Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
When the 2023 Roland Garros draw came out, all eyes were on the potential of a semi-final blockbuster between Djokovic and Alcaraz. After their scintillating clash in Madrid, would Alcaraz be able to replicate his level against the World No. 1 across five sets?

Djokovic seemed in command early, but Alcaraz worked hard to win the second set and when he did, a classic seemed in the works. But instead, the Spaniard began suffering from cramp early in the third set and was never able to physically recover.

Djokovic was left to polish off an ailing Alcaraz and he did so without issue, ending their first meeting at a major without tension.

“I told him at the net. He knows how young he is. He’s got plenty of time ahead of him, so he’s going to win this tournament I’m sure many many times,” Djokovic said. “He’s an unbelievable player, an incredible competitor and a very nice guy, so he deserves all the applause and all the support.”

Alcaraz was open about his feelings after the loss to the eventual champion. He said: “I’m disappointed in myself honestly, and in a match like this, coming to this match with great feelings, feeling great physically, and cramping at the end of the second set, beginning of the third set, it was really disappointing. But these kind of things happen, and I have to deal with that.”

Novak Djokovic” />
^{Photo: Getty Images}
Wimbledon 2023, F, Alcaraz d. Djokovic 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
Alcaraz did not need to wait long to take his shot at revenge against Djokovic. But entering the Wimbledon final, all eyes were on the Serbian’s chase for history. Just two years after coming within one match of winning the Grand Slam (capturing all four majors in the same season), Djokovic was again in good position, having triumphed at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and being back in the Wimbledon final.

After the pair’s semi-final in Paris, Djokovic was the firm favourite at SW19. Not only had he demonstrated he was up for his younger rival’s challenge, but he was a seven-time Wimbledon champion, while Alcaraz had played just two grass-court tournaments in his career before 2023.

When the 23-time major winner stormed through the opening set, he appeared well on his way to extending his winning streak at the event to 35. Djokovic earned set point at 6/5 in the second-set tie-break but missed a neutral backhand into the net, changing the course of the match and history.

Alcaraz sprang to life, eventually winning a four-hour, 42-minute battle to earn his second major title.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” Alcaraz said. “As I said before, of course it’s great to win, but even if I had lost, I would be really proud of myself with this amazing run. Making history in this beautiful tournament, playing a final against a legend of our sport.”

Cincinnati 2023, F, Djokovic d. Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4)
Fresh off a classic Wimbledon final, fans were once again in for a treat in the final of the Western & Southern Open, the pair’s first match on hard court.

Just a few months after Alcaraz was physically out of sorts at Roland Garros, it was Djokovic who did not look like himself in the Cincinnati final. Alcaraz firmly controlled the match up a set and a break as he looked to dial up his charge for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone.

Had Alcaraz put together two service holds from 4-3 in the second set, the match might have been forgettable. But instead, he gave his opponent an opening and Djokovic turned their clash into a classic. He saved championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break to force a thrilling decider.

Both men raised their levels and Alcaraz showed resolve of his own to break back when Djokovic served for the championship in the third set. Ultimately it was the 36-year-old who emerged victorious after three hours and 49 minutes, the longest best-of-three final in ATP Tour history (since 1990).

“Just overall, one of the toughest and most exciting matches I was ever part of and these are the kinds of moments and matches that I continue to work for day in day out,” Djokovic said. “I was never in doubt that I can deliver the ‘A’ game when it mattered the most and [I am] just thrilled.”

All good things must come to an end.

A host of singles and doubles stars announced the end of their professional playing careers in 2023. On Friday at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, the ATP Tour took the time to honour some of those who played their final match this season.

ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi welcomed Pablo Andujar, Thomaz Bellucci, Jeremy Chardy, Peter Gojowczyk, Treat Huey, Malek Jaziri and Oliver Marach with a speech in the player lounge at the prestigious season finale. The seven players also later participated in an on-court ceremony at the Pala Alpitour.

“It’s something special,” said Chardy, who reached a career-high of No. 25 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. “You work hard your whole life. When you were young, your dream was to become a tennis player, and from the moment you start to play on the ATP Tour, the time flies so fast. It went really quick, a lot of hard work, a lot of good memories on the court, off the court with other players, all the people from the ATP.

“I enjoyed my journey so much and I have no regrets. I just finished and I’m already coaching, I’m still on Tour. It means I really love tennis!”

Another former Top 25 player, Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci, added: “I feel great. I ended my career last year, but I played my last tournament this year in Rio, in my country. I’m very happy of what I achieved in my career and I’m very proud of it. I just want to thank all my fans and my family, and I’m very happy to have [this celebration]. Something more in tennis, but in a different way.”

_{^{Jeremy Chardy, Oliver Marach, Thomaz Bellucci, Malek Jaziri, Peter Gojowczyk, Treat Huey and Pablo Andujar on court at the Pala Alpitour. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}}

Peter Gojowczyk was the most recently retired of the group in Turin. The German played his final match as a professional in Metz just two weeks ago.

“It’s been an honour to be here in Turin and to celebrate my career here,” said Gojowczyk. “I have good memories on Tour and I was thinking about when to retire. I had a good opportunity to come here to Turin… I’m happy with my career, I have good memories and to celebrate here in Turin is awesome.”

“It’s amazing,” concurred Jaziri, who hit a career high of No. 42, the highest Pepperstone ATP Ranking by a Tunisian. “You have a flashback over many years. It’s the culmination of lots of years of work, dedication and it’s like a family. The players and all the people who work in the ATP as well.

“This is the end of a career as a tennis player and hopefelly we have a good career and success in life after tennis as well. Tennis gave me a lot of opportunities and I’m very glad to be part of the ATP family.”

Doubles specialists were represented by Oliver Marach and Treat Huey in Turin. Marach was a six-time competitor at the Nitto ATP Finals.. That personal history made Friday’s ceremony particularly touching for the Austrian.

“For me it’s very special,” he said. “I have big emotions around this tournament. This is my first time in Turin, but I played four times in London. For me it has always been next to the Grand Slams as the biggest tournament in the world, I love to come here. They treat the players specially, and the best players get together in a final clash of the year. I always enjoyed the tournament and I’m happy to have my retirement here.”

The eight-time tour-level titlist Huey, another former competitor at the season finale, was also happy to be back.

“It’s absolutely incredible,” said the Filipino. “It’s a dream come true being back here. It was my dream all those years to make it here once, and I was able to in 2016, so to be invited here for a retirement ceremony with some of the other players I’ve looked up to and who became my colleagues over the years, it’s truly special.”

Alexander Zverev ended his impressive 2023 comeback season in victory despite missing the semi-finals of the Nitto ATP Finals, defeating Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4 Friday night in Turin to finish the year with 55 match wins and as World No. 7.

Having missed more than half of the 2022 season following his horrific ankle injury in the 2022 Roland Garros semi-finals, Zverev will be well satisfied with what he achieved during the season, which began with just three wins from his first nine matches.

The German finished the Red Group with a 2-1 record but missed the knockout stages of the season finale because group rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev had superior sets-won records.

“I have to look back on the week in a positive way. I beat Alcaraz and I beat Rublev,” said Zverev, who won 64 per cent of points on Rublev’s second serve.

“After the injury that I had, to be back here with the top eight players in the world, winning two matches, gives me great hope. I’m as motivated as I’ve very been for next year.”

The two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion opened the tournament with a three-set win over Alcaraz, but his straight-sets loss to Medvedev in his second match proved costly.

It was a disappointing return to the Pala Alpitour for Rublev, who failed to win a match after last year reaching the semi-finals. But the red head can still be proud of his season. He will finish inside the Top 5 with a 56-25 record on the year and two titles from six finals, including his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in Monte-Carlo.

The Top 4 players in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings will all be in action in a pair of heavyweight clashes on semi-final Saturday at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Home favourite Jannik Sinner meets Daniil Medvedev in the afternoon session at the Pala Alpitour before World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz resume one of the biggest rivalries of the 2023 season on Saturday night in Turin.

[3] Daniil Medvedev vs. [4] Jannik Sinner (ITA)

Until six weeks ago, Medvedev and Sinner’s Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry was only heading one way.

The World No. 3 Medvedev had won all six of his tour-level meetings with Sinner prior to the China Open, where the pair met in the championship match in early October. The Italian dug deep in a pair of tie-breaks in Beijing to break his duck against Medvedev, however, and backed up that win with a repeat result (this time over three sets) to become champion in Vienna later that month.

Now Sinner chases a late-season hat-trick against his Top 5 rival on an even bigger stage. The Italian racked up a perfect Green Group record this week at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he reeled off three high-class performances in front of his passionate fans. That crowd energy, which was maintained throughout his wins against Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic and Holger Rune, is something Sinner will only see as a boost on Saturday when he looks to overcome Medvedev for a final berth.

“It’s a huge privilege to be here. It’s in Italy. It’s obviously a little bit more pressure, but it is kind of a positive pressure. I like to be in this situation,” said Sinner on Thursday after defeating Rune. “I think until now, in this moment, I managed it really well.

“Hopefully I can keep going like this. I think the crowd, they give me a lot of strength, especially when I’m struggling on the court a little bit… Now I have the chance to go two more matches.”

The key to Sinner reaching his maiden Nitto ATP Finals championship match will likely be his ability to hit through Medvedev’s relentless retrieving with his heavy groundsdtrokes. The fast-paced nature of the Pala Alpitour court should assist the Italian in that quest, and Medvedev will be wary of an opponent playing some of the best tennis of his career.

“At this moment he’s in top form,” said Medvedev of Sinner on Friday. “[These results in Turin] prove it… I felt like in Vienna I made a good response to what he did in Beijing, but I still lost. I need to be even better, to respond better to his shots.”

Medvedev may have dropped his final Red Group match to Alcaraz, but the 26-year-old has looked much more like his usual self this week, particularly in defeating Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev, than he did during his winless Turin campaign a year ago. The 26-year-old also revels in quick conditions and has won eight of his 20 tour-level crowns indoors, including at the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals in London.

Come Saturday, he will need to dial in once more if he wants to stop the Sinner party in Turin.

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [2] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

One of the most prominent storylines of the 2023 season comes to the Nitto ATP Finals as Djokovic and Alcaraz meet in a Saturday-night showdown at the Pala Alpitour.

The pair has met three times over the course of a year in which they also constantly jostled to finish as the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone. That honour was ultimately sealed by Djokovic after he held off Rune in a three-set thriller his Turin opener on Sunday, but the Serbian cannot afford to relax if he wants to press on to a record seventh Nitto ATP Finals crown.

Having been pushed all the way by the 20-year-old Rune and then beaten by 22-year-old Sinner this week in Turin, Djokovic needs no reminder of the ability of some of his younger rivals. He next faces the youngest of the three in 20-year-old Alcaraz, who is looking to add a Nitto ATP Finals crown to his 12 tour-level titles, which include two Grand Slams.

“The generation of Alcaraz, Rune, Sinner is very strong,” said Djokovic on Thursday in Turin. “It’s probably the three players that will carry this sport in the future but also in the present because they are right at the top of the game, all of them.”

After Djokovic downed a cramping Alcaraz in four sets at Roland Garros in June, the pair’s following two clashes count as two of the matches of the year. Alcaraz announced himself as a genuine grass-court rival to Djokovic in spectacular style at Wimbledon, where he prevailed in a five-set championship match for the ages. Djokovic had his revenge a month later, saving match point to beat Alcaraz to the ATP Masters 1000 trophy in Cincinnati.

Now 2-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, the highest-ranked rivalry in the game will move into unfamiliar territory on Saturday night in Turin. The pair has never faced off indoors, and Alcaraz is yet to win a tour-level title under a roof. On a fast court in Turin, the Spaniard’s ability to minimise errors and stay the course in extended rallies with Djokovic could be key.

Djokovic and Alcaraz may be No. 1 and No. 2 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, but the pair’s respective levels of Nitto ATP Finals experience could hardly be more different. The six-time champion Djokovic holds a 48-18 record at the season finale and is 8-3 in semi-finals at the event. Alcaraz made a slow start to his maiden campaign on Monday, when he lost to Zverev, but bounced back quickly with straight-sets wins against Andrey Rublev and Medvedev.

”I’m dreaming about winning this tournament,” said Alcaraz on Friday. “Why not? But I have to play my best first in the semi-final. I’m going to face one of the best players in history. I’m going to face the best player in the world right now. I will have to put my best game if I want to beat him.”

After a gripping year in which the Djokovic-Alcaraz rivalry has kept tennis fans on the edge of their seats, a Nitto ATP Finals knockout battle seems a fitting finale.

Defending Champs Ram/Salisbury Aim To Extend Streak

Is there any stopping Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury at the Nitto ATP Finals? The defending champions extended their winning streak in Turin to eight matches with a perfect group-stage showing this week, and they will look to make it nine when they take on Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in Saturday’s evening semi-final in Turin.

Like Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin, third seeds Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden and fifth seeds Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos can both finish 2023 as the Year-End ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by Pepperstone. One team will be knocked out of contention on Saturday afternoon, however, when they meet in the opening semi-final at the Pala Alpitour.

The transformation from Monday to Friday has been spectacular. Carlos Alcaraz has gone from being ‘mentally exhausted’ after his loss to Alexander Zverev, to reaching the semi-finals of the Nitto ATP Finals by consecutively sinking Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev. The Spaniard will now clash with Novak Djokovic on Saturday in the semi-finals after a turnaround that means he can aspire to go all the way at Turin’s Pala Alpitour.

So, what exactly happened?

“I spoke to Juan Carlos [Ferrero] after the first match,” admitted Alcaraz. “Obviously, something was up. In the last tournaments, the people closest to me, and even those that don’t know me so well, could see that I didn’t have the same attitude as at the start of the season. It’s not a question of being tired or not, it’s about enjoying myself.

“Juan Carlos opened my eyes. This is the last tournament of the year and I have to give everything I have. We’re at the [Nitto] ATP Finals. We also spoke about the level and what I had to do. Once again, I realised that my game depends on whether or not I enjoy myself, whether or not I smile. At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing for me. Obviously, the joy and the smile have returned to my game and I think that was reflected in the matches.”

On Saturday, the two-time Grand Slam champion will have to enjoy himself, smile, and possibly do even more when he squares off against Djokovic for the fourth time this season (2-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series). In 2023, the Serbian won their first battle in the semi-finals of Roland Garros, Alcaraz returned the favour in the Wimbledon final, and Djokovic reaped his revenge in the decider at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

“Hopefully it’ll be a repeat of what happened in the Wimbledon final,” said the Spaniard. “I’m going to try and find my A-game. We’ll see what I did well in order to repeat it tomorrow. It’ll be a very mental game, and I want to start preparing tonight.

“I hope that Novak plays at a great level, his A-game. We’re in the semis of the ATP Finals, a tournament he has won six times. He knows what it is to play in these rounds at events like this. I think that he’ll use that experience tomorrow and he’ll play his best tennis. He’ll try to pressure me a lot in the match, basically, he’ll be true to his style. So we’re going to have to be ready for that.”

Alcaraz has gone from saying that he could not see himself winning a single match in the tournament after losing to Zverev on day one, to declaring, having taken out Rublev, he believed he could go all the way at the season’s grand finale.

“After my level the last couple of days, your mind starts thinking things,” said Alcaraz. “Right now, I think if I continue at this level, I’ll have a chance of winning the tournament.”

Defending champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury maintained their perfect record at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals on Friday when they downed already-eliminated Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler 5-7, 6-1, 10-2.

Ram and Salisbury, who had already qualified for the semi-finals, won 79 per cent (30/38) of their first-serve points to triumph after 83 minutes, improving to 3-0 in Red Group play. The sixth seeds will meet Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the last four, with Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos taking on Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.

Ram and Salisbury have now won their past eight matches in Turin, having lifted the trophy at the year-end event 12 months ago. Earlier this season, the American-British team won their third consecutive US Open crown.

Australian Open champions Hijikata and Kubler end round-robin play holding a 0-3 record.

The order of play for the Nitto ATP Finals has been released. Home favourite Jannik Sinner will play 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev in the afternoon (not before 2:30 p.m. CET), and six-time champion Novak Djokovic will face second seed Carlos Alcaraz (not before 9 p.m. CET) in the evening.

It is a stacked lineup featuring the top four seeds. Sinner won the Green Group and Alcaraz won the Red Group, while Djokovic and Medvedev finished second in Green Group and Red Group, respectively.

Sinner and Medvedev have faced one another twice since the US Open, with the Italian winning finals in Beijing and Vienna. Medvedev leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 6-2.

Djokovic and Alcaraz have quickly developed an intriguing Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry. Of their four clashes, one came in this year’s Wimbledon final (won by Alcaraz) and another came in the Cincinnati final (won by Djokovic), widely considered one of the best matches of 2023.

In doubles, third seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden will take on fifth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos at 12 p.m., while defending champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury will play fourth seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin not before 6:30 p.m.

ORDER OF PLAY – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2023

CENTRE COURT start 12 noon
[5] M. Granollers (ESP) / H. Zeballos (ARG) vs [3] R. Bopanna (IND) / M. Ebden (AUS)

Not Before 2:30 pm
[4] J. Sinner (ITA) vs [3] D. Medvedev

Not Before 6:30 pm
[6] R. Ram (USA) / J. Salisbury (GBR) vs [4] S. Gonzalez (MEX) / E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

Not Before 9 pm
[2] C. Alcaraz (ESP) vs [1] N. Djokovic (SRB)