Novak Djokovic had to build his victory one point at a time to overcome Valentin Vacherot on Tuesday, November 3, in the first round of the Paris Masters. The Serbian dropped the opening set, responded late in the second and controlled the decider to win 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1 after two hours and 35 minutes.
Pressure until the final game of the second set
The opening set went by without a break of serve. Djokovic saved three consecutive set points while serving at 5-6 and forced a tiebreak. After moving ahead 5-4 with two serves to come, he saw Vacherot answer aggressively and take the set 7-6(5).
The Basel champion broke Djokovic at the start of the second set and moved 2-0 ahead. Djokovic broke back in the fourth game, but he still had to navigate another difficult moment at 4-4. After holding serve, he increased the pressure on Vacherot in the 12th game and earned the break that sealed the set 7-5.
Full control in the deciding set
The change in pace was clear from the beginning of the third set. Djokovic broke in the second game, consolidated for a 3-0 lead and began to extend the rallies with greater security. Another break in the sixth game cleared the way for a 6-1 finish and ended the Monegasque's resistance.
The match also carried the context of a recent rematch: Vacherot had won their only previous meeting, in the 2025 Shanghai semifinal. In Paris, however, Djokovic found answers after trailing by a set and a break and ended his opponent's five-match winning streak.
Djokovic will face Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata, the world No. 83, in the second round. The Serbian won both of their previous meetings. Paris is the final Masters 1000 event of the season and an important stop in his bid to reach the ATP Finals.
The two embedded videos cover the current 2026 match: official ATP Tour highlights and a court-level selection published by Tennis TV. Both were confirmed through YouTube oEmbed on the official channels at publication time.
Novak Djokovic official website — match report
Rolex Paris Masters — schedule and matchup context
