The key facts
- Djokovic lost to Rinky Hijikata 2:6, 6:3, 6:3 in the second round of the Paris Masters
- According to Gazeta.Ru, the Serb has failed to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time since 2017
- Hijikata, who came through qualifying, will face Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the next round
Sensational defeat in Paris
Novak Djokovic's run at the Paris Masters ended with a second-round loss to Australian Rinky Hijikata, 2:6, 6:3, 6:3. This was reported by Life.ru. The 39-year-old Serb, ranked 11th in the ATP rankings and seeded tenth, started the match confidently and took the first set, but the 25-year-old Hijikata, who came through qualifying into the main draw, turned the match around and won the next two sets.
The price of defeat: the ATP Finals
For Djokovic, this loss has consequences beyond a single tournament. According to Gazeta.Ru, the Serb has failed to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time since 2017 and has lost the chance to finish the season among the top eight — only the second such case in the last 20 years. The outlet notes that in 2024 and 2025 Djokovic did qualify but skipped the event due to health problems. This season he won the tournament in Beijing, but then exited early in Shanghai and Basel, and the defeat in Paris finally ended his hopes of reaching the ATP Finals.
A stark contrast in the rivals' records
The gap in the rivals' achievements makes the result especially surprising. Djokovic holds 102 ATP titles, including a record 24 men's singles Grand Slam victories; he is the Olympic champion of Paris 2024 and holds the record for most weeks at world No. 1 — 428. Gazeta.Ru adds that 101 of those 102 titles were won in singles, and Djokovic is the only player of the Open Era to have won all four Grand Slam tournaments, all nine Masters events and the ATP Finals in singles, each of them at least twice. Hijikata, before this match, had no ATP singles titles: his two trophies came in doubles, and his best Grand Slam result remains a fourth-round appearance at the 2023 US Open.
What's next
In the next round Hijikata will face Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The Paris tournament is played on indoor hard courts, concludes on November 8, and has a prize fund of about 6.3 million euros. Earlier in the same tournament, Daniil Medvedev failed to reach the third round, losing to Peruvian Buse — Gazeta.Ru reported this in a separate news item, the content of which is available only in summary form.
