Fatigued Djokovic pulls out of Doha 500 tournament

Record 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has pulled out of next week's ATP 500 Doha Open event due to "strong fatigue", organisers announced on Wednesday on Instagram.

The news came just 10 days after Djokovic lost to world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final.

That came just two days after Djokovic, 38, overcame world No 2 Jannik Sinner in a gruelling semifinal that lasted more than four hours.

Alcaraz and Sinner will be the top two seeds in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Both will be playing in their first tournament since the year's opening Grand Slam in Melbourne.

Djokovic should next play in March at the Indian Wells Masters 1000.