Novak Djokovic maintained his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes at the Rolex Paris Masters, where he rallied from a set and a break down to defeat Valentin Vacherot. The seven-time Paris champion was pushed hard by the Monegasque and overcame a mid-match shoulder issue to defeat the Basel champion 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-1. Djokovic requires at least a semi-final run in Paris to give himself a chance of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.
Djokovic is 11th in the Race To Turin on 2,940 points but must finish inside the top nine to qualify. Rafael Jodar, still alive in Paris, is currently ninth on 3,234 points, 294 points clear of Djokovic. Asked on Sky Sports how he was feeling physically, Djokovic, who next plays Australian Rinky Hijikata, said: "Not the freshest but obviously glad to turn this match around.
"A lot of players tell me it's completely different conditions to what it was last year. "It's very slow and bouncy this year, just super, super quick, and Vacherot won his tournament title in Basel a few days ago, super confident and you could feel that in his game, particularly off that first serve. Not too many double faults, he's going for his second serve as well.
"His third serve is quicker than my first so it's very difficult to face someone like that. I should have taken that first set, just an awful volley at 5-4 and next thing you know you're down a set and down a break." "I'm glad that I kind of found a way to turn this match around." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "Djokovic is so used to being seeded high and at least get himself into the draw without having to suffer through that first round. This is a physical match, and if he wants to go deep in the tournament, especially here in Paris because this is a shorter Masters tournament 1000.
This isn't one of those Masters tournaments where you have a day off between every match, so this is going to be a little tricker for him." British No 1 Arthur Fery may have hit a career-high world No 32 and produced the shot of the match with a between-the-legs drop-shot winner, but he was ultimately taken out by home favourite Quentin Halys 7-6 (8-6) 7-5. Fery was unable to take two set points in the first-set tie-break with big-serving Frenchman Halys claiming the only break of serve in the second for victory. Tommy Paul, currently 13th in the Race To Turin on 2,775 points, beat Holger Rune 7-5 6-4.
Flavio Cobolli has announced his withdrawal from the Masters 1000 event on social media. "I was really hoping I could make it," Cobolli wrote in his Instagram Stories. "Today, after media day, I tried training in the gym, but I'm still feeling some discomfort and I don't want to take any risks.
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