Novak Djokovic skips Serbia Davis Cup clash amid invite to watch Greece in action

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Novak Djokovic had the chance to play in the Davis Cup this week, but he chose not to take part.

Following his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semi-finals, Djokovic could have rejoined his teammates for their World Group I matchup against Turkey.

Instead, he opted to take some time off. Speaking at a press conference, Serbia’s captain Viktor Troicki addressed his absence.

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“Novak [Djokovic], who played in the semi-finals of the US Open, is not with us; a place is reserved for him in the team whenever he is available,” Troicki said.

While he won’t be at Serbia’s tie in Belgrade, there’s still a chance we see him show up elsewhere during this week’s action.

Djokovic invited to attend Greece’s Davis Cup clash with Brazil

Earlier this week, it was reported that Djokovic had relocated his family to Greece, moving into a rented home in Glyfada, Athens.

The 38-year-old is also scheduled to take part in the Athens Open later this year, an event that replaced the Belgrade Open on the tour calendar.

With Djokovic’s connections to Greece growing stronger, SDNA has reported that the Greek Tennis Federation has invited him to attend their Davis Cup match against Brazil this weekend.

“The legendary Serb is currently in Athens and the EFOA [Hellenic Tennis Federation] invited him to see the Greek team’s effort up close at the renovated OAKA [Olympic Athletic Centre of Athens],” they said.

Brazil’s Davis Cup team (#19) vs Greece

• Jaime Oncins (captain)
• Joao Fonseca
• Thiago Seyboth Wild
• Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida
• Rafael Matos
• Marcelo Melo

Greece’s Davis Cup team (#38) vs Brazil

• Apostolos Tsitsipas (captain)
• Stefanos Tsitsipas
• Stefanos Sakellaridis
• Aristotelis Thanos
• Ioannis Xilas
• Petros Tsitsipas

Greece will go into Sunday’s tie as underdogs, sitting 19 places below Brazil in the Davis Cup rankings. The match takes place on September 14.

The main draw for fans is a potential meeting between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Joao Fonseca—a clash between an established Grand Slam finalist and one of tennis’ rising talents.

However, it’s still uncertain whether Tsitsipas will be fit enough to play as he continues his recovery from injury. Whether or not Djokovic decides to show up remains another storyline to watch as the tie approaches…

Why Novak Djokovic might not accept the invitation

Novak Djokovic turning up to watch a match for a country he chose not to play for in the same competition probably wouldn’t sit well with Serbian fans, especially as Greece and Serbia are rivals in World Group I.

The winners of these ties will move on to the qualifying round in 2026, with those who advance making it to the Davis Cup Finals.

Since Djokovic’s rise, Serbia have become a strong Davis Cup nation. They won their first title back in 2010 and reached another final three years later, though they lost 3-2 to Czechia.

Just two years ago, Serbia made it as far as the semifinals before things started to go downhill. Losses to Slovakia in 2024 and Denmark this year have left them out of the running for the Davis Cup Finals.

The hope is that Djokovic will be back soon enough to help push them towards a second title. His presence at another match during this period won’t do much for team morale, especially as players like Miomir Kecmanovic and Hamad Medjedovic are still fighting for qualification in 2026.

Serbia take on Turkey on Saturday, September 13th, while Greece face Brazil a day later on Sunday.