The match served as a rematch of sorts, as the Serbian sought to avenge a previous loss to the Monegasque player, who had defeated him during his successful run to the Shanghai Masters title last season. Despite the high stakes and a physical scare, Djokovic displayed his characteristic resilience to advance to the second round, where he is scheduled to face Rinky Hijikata on Wednesday.
A Hard-Fought Victory and ATP Finals Implications
The contest began as a tightly contested affair, with Vacherot edging a tense opening set tie-break after stringing together four consecutive points. Djokovic faced further adversity early in the second set, requiring a medical timeout to receive treatment on his right shoulder. The brief interruption appeared to disrupt Vacherot’s rhythm, as the 27-year-old dropped his serve shortly thereafter. A critical error from Vacherot on a routine ball allowed Djokovic to regain momentum, and the Serbian eventually forced a decider by breaking in the 12th game of the second set.
Once the match entered the third set, the 10th seed asserted his dominance, breaking early and pulling away to seal the win. Beyond the immediate victory, the result keeps Djokovic’s aspirations for the ATP Finals in Turin mathematically alive. Currently 11th in the race for the eight-man season finale, Djokovic noted that while the tournament is a factor, his primary focus remains on taking his campaign in Paris one match at a time.
Action Across the Paris Draw
Elsewhere in the tournament, third seed Ben Shelton delivered a clinical performance, dispatching Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 in just 71 minutes. The American’s victory was only briefly interrupted by a late service break, which he immediately countered to secure his progression. The evening session also featured a tribute to French veteran Gael Monfils, who retired last month at age 40.
The draw saw several notable departures, including 2022 champion Holger Rune, who was eliminated by Tommy Paul in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. Meanwhile, Casper Ruud’s victory over Rafael Jodar had significant implications for the ATP Finals race; the Spaniard’s loss confirmed that Italy’s Flavio Cobolli has secured a spot in Turin. Other results saw Matteo Berrettini edge past Brandon Nakashima in a tight three-set battle, while Taylor Fritz also required three sets to overcome Benjamin Bonzi. The tournament continues on Wednesday, with top-ranked Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz set to begin their campaigns.
