Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round of the Paris Masters after a hard-fought comeback victory over Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot, winning 2-1 (6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1).
The victory could prove particularly important for Djokovic as he continues his fight to secure a place at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
To strengthen his chances of qualifying, Djokovic will likely need to reach at least the semifinals in Paris. Depending on the results of his direct rivals, he may need to go even further and reach the final.
The match appeared to be slipping away from the Serbian star after Vacherot took the opening set and secured an early break in the second. However, Djokovic produced an impressive turnaround against an opponent in excellent form, who arrived in Paris fresh from winning the title in Basel.
Djokovic will face Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in the second round. The Serbian has won both of their previous meetings, which took place in 2025.
The Paris Masters now represents a crucial opportunity for Djokovic to keep his hopes of competing at the season-ending ATP Finals alive.
