Djokovic battles through Paris Masters opener

Paris – Novak Djokovic battled from behind to beat Valentin Vacherot 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-1 in the first round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday, while Ben Shelton opened his campaign with a comfortable win.

For the Serbian 24-time Grand Slam champion, it marked a return to winning ways at ATP 1000-level tournaments for the first time since his run to the fourth round at Indian Wells back in March.

Djokovic also exacted his own bit of revenge on Vacherot in just the second meeting between the pair — the Monegasque downed the 39-year-old on his way to a sensational Shanghai Masters title last season.

“I knew that coming into the court it was going to be a very tight match as it was,” Djokovic told reporters.

“He’s very confident and he’s one of the best servers we have in the game,” he added of Vacherot, who lifted the second title of his career last week in Basel.

Victory also kept alive Djokovic’s chances of landing a spot in the season-ending ATP Finals later in November.

Djokovic is currently 11th in the race to the eight-man tournament in Turin.

However, he insisted his main focus was not the ATP Finals but “to win every match” on his return to the Paris Masters.

In his last appearance at the tournament in 2023, he lifted the trophy for the seventh time.

In an even opening frame, Vacherot got his nose in front at the end of an error-strewn first-set tie-break as he put together a run of four points to take the lead.

After going down a break early in the second set, Djokovic called for a medical timeout for a massage on his right shoulder.

The short stoppage seemed to break Vacherot’s concentration as he dropped his serve straight away.

On Djokovic’s second break point, the 27-year-old completely misjudged a routine return from his opponent and could only watch in disbelief as the ball bounced on the line right in front of him.

Vacherot then received treatment for a foot issue and soon found himself level at one set each as Djokovic displayed his trademark killer instinct to seize his first break opportunity in the 12th game of the set and send the match to a decider.

The 10th seed ground down Vacherot in his first service game to get his nose in front before then running away with the match.

He will next meet Rinky Hijikata in the second round on Wednesday.

U.S. Open finalist Shelton, who as third seed enjoyed a bye through the first round, put on a commanding display in the night session with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Cameron Norrie.

The world No. 4 needed just 71 minutes to see off the former eighth-ranked Briton, with the only hiccup being a break of his own serve near the end of the second set which the 24-year-old instantly righted to close in on victory.

The American then ceded center stage to Gael Monfils for a ceremony to honour the career of the hugely popular French player, who retired last month at the age of 40.

Rising star Rafael Jodar was last on center court but fell in straight sets to former world No. 2 Casper Ruud.

The 20-year-old Spaniard currently sits ninth in the race to Turin, and his defeat meant Italy’s Flavio Cobolli secured his spot in the season-ender despite having to withdraw from the Paris Masters with a leg injury.

Elsewhere, Holger Rune, who beat Djokovic in the 2022 final, exited at the first hurdle this time as he continues his return from a lengthy lay-off. The Dane lost 7-5, 6-4 to Tommy Paul.

Matteo Berrettini edged out 14th seed Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8) and Taylor Fritz showed grit to see off Benjamin Bonzi in three sets.

New home favorite Moise Kouame was unable to recreate his Roland Garros heroics as the French 17-year-old went down 6-3, 6-1 to lucky loser Nuno Borges.

Play continues on Wednesday when world No. 1 Alexander Zverev and seven-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz will both get their tournaments under way at the round-of-32 stage.