Novak Djokovic beat Valentin Vacherot 6-7 (7-5) 7-5 6-1 in the first round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday, BBC Sport reported. The win keeps alive his late bid to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin. According to the BBC, he likely needs to reach the semi-finals in Paris to have a chance.
The 39-year-old trailed by a set and a break. He also received treatment on his shoulder in the second set. The 24-time Grand Slam champion then cut down his unforced errors and made his opponent play ball after ball. Vacherot came into the match in form after winning the Swiss Indoors title in Basel last week, but he faltered. With the win, Djokovic became the oldest man to win a match at the Paris Masters.
Djokovic told Sky Sports that he was "not the freshest out there after two and a half hours" but was glad to turn the match around. He said that Vacherot had a lot of confidence after Basel. "His third serve is quicker than my first so it is very difficult," he said.
Djokovic is 11th in the ATP Finals standings, the BBC reported. Jannik Sinner is out injured for the rest of the season, so the top nine will qualify. Spain's Rafael Jodar is currently ninth. Flavio Coboli, Arthur Fils, Frances Tiafoe and Alex de Minaur are all above Djokovic and also chasing a place. Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton and Daniil Medvedev have already qualified.
Djokovic lost in the last 16 in Basel, which left him with a tough task to reach the Finals for a 17th time. He missed the event in the past two seasons because of injury. He last failed to qualify on merit in 2017.
Djokovic next plays Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata in the second round. He could then meet De Minaur in the third round. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Frenchman Quentin Halys beat Britain's Wimbledon semi-finalist Arthur Fery 7-6 (8-6) 7-5. Halys will now face seventh seed Tiafoe. American third seed Shelton beat Cameron Norrie 6-3 6-4.