Novak Djokovic, the 10th seed and seven-time Paris Masters champion, opens his campaign against Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot on Tuesday, November 3, in one of the most intriguing first-round ties of the tournament. Vacherot arrives in Paris in form, having beaten Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the Basel final on Sunday. Djokovic, meanwhile, returns to a tournament he has dominated like no other — and to a city where he has so often produced his best tennis.
A dangerous opener for the champion
Djokovic against Vacherot is scheduled for Court Central on Tuesday, with the winner set to face qualifier Rinky Hijikata, who kept his run going on Monday by beating Italy’s Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2 in 1 hour 4 minutes. Hijikata, ranked No. 83 and playing the event for the first time, beat Jaime Faria 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday and Vit Kopriva 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Sunday in qualifying. For Vacherot, this is a free swing at one of the greatest players of all time. For Djokovic, it is a test of sharpness against an opponent full of confidence after a title run. Seven Paris titles count for a lot — but they do not win the first set.
Tuesday’s wider card
Tuesday’s order of play is packed: Ben Shelton meets Cameron Norrie in the round of 32 on Court Central, Stefanos Tsitsipas faces Learner Tien, and Brandon Nakashima meets Matteo Berrettini. Andrey Rublev faces Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Alex Michelsen meets Jiri Lehecka. The Paris Masters, running from October 31 to November 8, is the final Masters 1000 event of the season — and the race for the year-end finals places makes every match matter. Djokovic’s opener is where Tuesday’s story starts.
The weight of seven Paris titles
Djokovic’s record in Paris is extraordinary, but records do not win first-round matches — form does. Vacherot arrives with a title, confidence and nothing to lose, which makes him exactly the kind of opponent champions dislike early in a tournament. If Djokovic finds his rhythm, the draw opens up nicely, with a winnable second round to follow. If he starts slowly, Tuesday could become a long evening on Court Central. Either way, the eyes of the tennis world will be on Paris, waiting to see which version of Djokovic turns up.
