Valentin Vacherot came close to another major victory on Tuesday, November 3, but ultimately fell to Novak Djokovic in a three-set battle at the Rolex Paris Masters, ending his impressive run at the tournament before the second round.
The Monégasque made an excellent start against the Serbian, who was seeded tenth, taking the opening set 7-6 after winning the tie-break 7-5. However, Djokovic fought back to take the second 7-5 before dominating the deciding set 6-1.
The encounter lasted two hours and 35 minutes, with Vacherot demonstrating that he could compete with one of the greatest players in tennis despite the eventual defeat. Both players required attention for physical problems during the match, with Djokovic dealing with a shoulder issue and Vacherot receiving treatment for an ankle complaint.
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The victory was a significant test for Djokovic, who became the oldest player to win a match at the Paris Masters, aged 39. The seven-time champion now advances to face Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in the next round.
For Vacherot, the defeat brings a remarkable tournament run to a close just days after the biggest success of his career. He arrived in Paris fresh from winning the Swiss Indoors Basel, where he defeated Czech player Jiří Lehečka 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday’s final to secure his second ATP Tour title.
His Basel triumph, following his breakthrough Masters 1000 victory in Shanghai in 2025, has further established the 27-year-old as one of the most exciting names in international tennis.
Although his Paris campaign ended earlier than hoped, Vacherot leaves the tournament having delivered another competitive performance against elite opposition and strengthened his position among the leading players on the ATP Tour.
