PARIS — In a thrilling encounter, the illustrious seven-time champion Novak Djokovic triumphed against the powerful serving Valentin Vacherot, clinching victory with scores of 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 in the opening round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday.
The legendary 24-time Grand Slam winner is on a quest for his 103rd career title, which would place him in a tie for second all-time with Roger Federer. The record in the Open era is held by Jimmy Connors at 109 titles.
However, the 10th-seeded Serbian star faced a potential early exit in the French capital.
While serving at a critical 4-4 in the second set, Djokovic was pushed to the limit, saving three break points to keep Vacherot — who recently claimed victory at the Swiss Indoors and previously defeated Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters semifinals — from serving for the match inside the indoor arena.
“His second serves are more powerful than my first serves, making it quite challenging to compete at these fast-paced conditions,” Djokovic remarked. “Last year was much slower; this year it feels like playing on ice.”
After breaking Vacherot to level the score, Djokovic seized control by breaking him again at the onset of the final set. He sealed the win on his second match point with a stunning two-handed backhand winner that sliced down the line.
Both competitors required medical timeouts during the second set, with Djokovic receiving treatment on his right shoulder, while Vacherot had his left ankle bandaged.
Later in the day, third-seeded Ben Shelton is set to take on fellow left-hander Cameron Norrie in the second round. Shelton aims for his 42nd win of the season, matching his career-best record.
The American talent has brought former Carlos Alcaraz coach Juan Carlos Ferrero onto his team for 2027. Shelton has already secured his place for the ATP Finals set for November 15-22, joining top-ranked Alexander Zverev, seven-time major winner Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev.
Djokovic is also targeting a spot in the Finals but currently stands at 11th in the race, requiring a dramatic performance with only one ATP250 event remaining in Stockholm after Paris.
In other matches on Tuesday, French teen sensation Moïse Kouame, who delighted fans at the French Open, fell to Nuno Borges with a score of 6-3, 6-1, while 2022 champion Holger Rune bowed out, losing 7-5, 6-4 to 12th-seeded Tommy Paul.
Rune is still on his journey to recovery following an Achilles injury. The young Dane, aged 23, returned to competition in September but was defeated by Vacherot in the quarterfinals at the Swiss Indoors last week.
