Paris Masters: Djokovic fights back to beat Vacherot, Halys and Rinderknech into round two
Novak Djokovic beat Valentin Vacherot in three sets at La Défense on Tuesday, becoming, at 39, the oldest player to win a match at the Paris Masters. Quentin Halys and Arthur Rinderknech join Ugo Humbert in the second round.
The French are holding firm at La Défense. On Tuesday 3 November, the second day of the main draw at the Rolex Paris Masters, Quentin Halys and Arthur Rinderknech booked their places in the second round. They join Ugo Humbert, who won on Monday evening.
Halys solid, Rinderknech fortunate
Halys, ranked 46th in the world, beat Britain's Arthur Fery (32nd) in two tight sets, 7-6 (6), 7-5, according to results compiled by Tennis-DB. In the next round he will face American Frances Tiafoe, who had a first-round bye.
For Rinderknech, progress came more unexpectedly. Against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo (20th), the Frenchman lost the first set 6-3, then turned things around by winning the second on a tie-break (7-6 [2]). Trailing 2-0 in the third set, Cerundolo retired. The world number 68 will face Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci.
The day was cruel, however, for Moïse Kouamé. Handed a wildcard by the organisers, the young Frenchman (132nd) was comfortably beaten by Portugal's Nuno Borges, 6-3, 6-1.
Humbert through after a nail-biter
On Monday evening, Ugo Humbert had led the French charge after a three-set duel with the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp: 7-6 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-3. The player from Metz let the second set slip away in a marathon tie-break before regaining control in the decider.
Monday's results were more mixed for the rest of the French contingent. Luca Van Assche beat Argentina's Mariano Navone (6-3, 7-5), but wildcards Titouan Droguet and Kyrian Jacquet were knocked out, by Slovakia's Alex Molcan (4-6, 6-4, 6-4) and the Czech Tomas Machac (7-6, 6-1) respectively.
Zverev's first tournament as number one
The tournament also has a special flavour for Alexander Zverev. Since Monday, the 29-year-old German has officially been world number one for the first time in his career, becoming the 30th player to hold that rank since the ATP rankings were created in 1973, Tennis Majors notes.
Zverev said that he could now play to win at all four Grand Slam tournaments, as quoted by Tennis Majors.
After a first-round bye, he will start his campaign on Wednesday against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, who beat Hubert Hurkacz (7-6, 7-6).
Djokovic survives after 2 hours 35 minutes
Novak Djokovic had to dig deep in his opening match. Against Monaco's Valentin Vacherot, the Serb won 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 in 2 hours 35 minutes, according to Tennis Majors. Yet he was on the brink for a long time: trailing in the first-set tie-break after leading 5-3, he lost the set, then had to save three break points at 4-4 in the second, which would have allowed Vacherot to serve for the match. The third set was then a formality.
At 39, Djokovic becomes the oldest player to win a match at the tournament, ahead of Jimmy Connors (also 39, in 1991), and extends his record tally of wins in Paris to 51. He also ends a run of four consecutive defeats at Masters 1000 events, the longest of his career.
After the match, the Serb praised the confidence of his opponent, whom he ranks among the best servers on the tour, and acknowledged that he read his serve better from the second set onwards.
In the second round he will face Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata. The stakes are high: with 2,940 points in the Race, the Serb needs to reach at least the semi-finals to stay in contention for the ATP Finals in Turin.
Fils awaited, final on Sunday
Arthur Fils, who had a first-round bye, will take on Tomas Machac in the second round. The quarter-finals are scheduled for Friday and the final for Sunday 8 November.
