Novak Djokovic rallies past Valentin Vacherot to reach second round in Paris
Djokovic overcame a first-set tiebreak loss to beat Valentin Vacherot 7-6, 7-5, 6-1 and will face Rinky Hijikata next.
Novak Djokovic fought back to beat Valentin Vacherot of Monaco and reach the second round of the Paris Masters on November 3, 2026. The tenth seed dropped the opening set in a tiebreak, 7-6, but recovered to take the next two sets 7-5, 6-1 in a contest that lasted two hours and 35 minutes.
Turning points
Vacherot pushed Djokovic throughout the match and came within moments of a major upset — the Frenchman had a chance to serve for the match in the second set. Djokovic, however, raised his level in the closing stages of that set and produced a dominant third set to finish the victory.
This appearance in Paris was Djokovic's first at the event since 2023; he has previously won a record seven titles at the tournament. With the win, the 39-year-old Serbian became the oldest player to record a match victory at this Masters event.
Djokovic, who is seeded tenth in the draw, will next face Australian Rinky Hijikata in the second round.
The match outcome keeps Djokovic on course at the indoor hard-court Masters in Paris as he aims to add to his tournament haul and build momentum late in the season.
Photo: press material from the event
