Novak Djokovic fends off Valentin Vacherot at Paris Masters

Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round of the Paris Masters after defeating Valentin Vacherot in a challenging match that ended with scores of 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1. The seven-time champion faced significant pressure in the second set, needing to save three break points to avoid falling behind against Vacherot, who recently won the Swiss Indoors and had previously beaten Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters semifinals.

Djokovic struggled initially with Vacherot's powerful serves, which included 22 aces. After leveling the match by breaking Vacherot's serve, Djokovic gained momentum and took control in the final set. Both players required medical timeouts during the match, with Djokovic receiving treatment on his shoulder. In other matches, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz also progressed, while notable players like Holger Rune were eliminated. Djokovic's next challenge will be against qualifier Rinky Hijikata in the third round.