Casper Ruud advanced at the Paris Masters on Tuesday with a 6-3 6-4 win over Rafael Jódar, while Novak Djokovic’s second-round clash with Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata headlines Wednesday’s day-three schedule, according to the tournament recap.
Ruud’s straight-sets victory over Jódar — the young Spaniard currently holding the final ATP Finals qualifying spot — was one of the day’s notable results, a composed performance against an opponent with everything to play for in the Race to Turin.
Djokovic’s path gets clearer — and harder
Djokovic’s comeback win over Valentin Vacherot set up Wednesday’s meeting with Hijikata on Court Central, the third match of the day. The 39-year-old’s path to Turin likely requires a semi-final run, meaning every round from here is effectively an elimination match for his season.
The tournament, running from October 31 to November 8, is the final Masters 1000 event of the season and the last major chance for players on the Turin bubble to change their fate. With Sinner injured and four players already qualified, the remaining spots are fiercely contested.
What to watch on Wednesday
Beyond Djokovic-Hijikata, day three offers the usual Paris mix: seeds beginning their campaigns after first-round byes, qualifiers playing with nothing to lose, and the Race to Turin shifting with every result. Ruud’s win over Jódar already altered the maths slightly — and Jódar, despite the defeat, remains in the qualifying picture.
For Djokovic, the equation is simple: keep winning, and Turin stays possible. Lose, and the season likely ends in Paris. At 39, with a shoulder that needed treatment on Tuesday, that is a tall order — but it is exactly the kind of order Djokovic has spent his career fulfilling.
Paris decides the season’s final field
The Paris Masters always matters, but this year’s edition matters more than most: it will decide who joins Alcaraz, Zverev, Shelton and Medvedev in Turin. Ruud’s win, Jódar’s defeat and Djokovic’s survival all feed into that race, and Wednesday’s schedule — headlined by Djokovic against Hijikata — could reshape it again. The final Masters event of the year rarely disappoints, and 2026 looks no different.
