Alex de Minaur will appear in his maiden Nitto ATP Finals tournament in the Italian city of Turin following the official withdrawal of seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.
The 25-year-old Sydneysider is set to become the first Australian to compete in the singles draw at the prestigious event since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.
De Minaur's place was guaranteed overnight after Djokovic opted to rest his body due to an ongoing injury.
The 24-time major winner was recently photographed relaxing on a beach in the Maldives, fuelling suggestions his season could be over.
Despite confirming that his priorities are Grand Slams and representing Serbia, Djokovic's post on his Instagram story to break the news still came as a shock.
"It’s an honour to qualify for the Finals, but due to an injury, I won’t be able to play next week," the defending ATP Finals champion wrote.
"I apologise to everyone who was planning to watch me compete. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon!"
The ATP Finals field is now set:
Jannik Sinner Alexander Zverev Carlos Alcaraz
Daniil Medvedev
Taylor Fritz Casper Ruud Alex de Minaur
Andrey Rublev
Alternates: Grigor Dimitrov
Stefanos Tsitsipas
The news could mean de Minaur, Rublev and Ruud drop out of their respective tournaments in Belgrade and Metz given their qualification is secured.
However, seeds six, seven and eight for the ATP Finals are still undetermined.
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