Djokovic Becomes Oldest Paris Masters Match Winner
Novak Djokovic became the oldest Paris Masters match winner in the tournament’s history on Tuesday. The 39-year-old Serb beat Valentin Vacherot of Monaco by 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1 in the opening round at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre. The win keeps alive his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals.
Djokovic is a record seven-time Paris Masters champion. Yet this win did not come easily, and it did not come early. He needed two hours and 35 minutes to turn the match around, after losing a tense first set and taking treatment for a shoulder issue in the second.
Paris Masters match winner: how the match turned
Vacherot, aged 27, arrived in form. He entered the tournament on a five-match tour-level winning streak, after lifting the Basel title on Sunday. He took the opening set after coming back from 5-4 down, and he looked set to cause an upset.
Djokovic took treatment for a shoulder issue at 2-1 down in the second set. Vacherot later needed a medical timeout for an ankle problem. The momentum shifted soon after that, as Vacherot began to struggle and Djokovic forced a deciding set. Djokovic then carried that momentum through the third set to complete the comeback.
As the 10th seed, Djokovic did not receive a first-round bye. Those byes go to the top eight seeds, so he faced a hard opener against an in-form opponent. That detail makes the record more striking, since the oldest winner in the event’s history had to earn it from the first round rather than start fresh in round two.
Djokovic spoke about the test in his on-court interview. “I expected a match like this to be honest, with very few opportunities to break for me,” he said. “He has a tremendous serve. It is huge, both first and second. For a set and a half, I had difficulty reading his serve and even if I guessed right, it was coming with some speed.”
He added: “The third set was really good but very tiring physically, a lot of long rallies. I am still there, still hanging on and still giving it whatever I can, trying to find my best level when it matters.”
A tricky season kept alive
The win matters because Djokovic’s season has been uneven. He reached the final of the Australian Open and the semi-finals at Wimbledon. He then went out in the third round at the French Open and in the first round at the United States Open. He claimed the 102nd title of his career at the China Open last month, but he suffered early exits in Shanghai and Basel.
Paris is therefore more than one more tournament for him. It is a late chance to reach the ATP Finals, the season-ending event for the top eight players. A first-round loss would have ended that hope. A win, even a hard one, keeps the path open and gives him another match to build form.
The age gap in Tuesday’s match tells its own story. Djokovic, at 39, faced a 27-year-old opponent who had just won a title and arrived full of confidence. The older player lost the first set, took treatment, and still found a way through long rallies in the third. That pattern, patience under pressure and a late surge, has marked much of his career.
What the record means in Paris
Paris has long been one of Djokovic’s strongest venues. He has won the title seven times, more than any other player in the event’s history. To add the oldest-winner record at the same event links his past dominance with his present effort to stay near the top of the game.
The record also sets a marker for the next generation. Vacherot played the kind of match that usually beats an ageing champion: a huge serve, few chances to break, and a first set won from behind. Djokovic still found answers in the second and third sets, which shows why the record fell to him rather than to a younger player passing through.
Djokovic’s road to the ATP Finals runs through Paris, and Feature Pakistan covered the earlier stage of that bid in its report on his Basel wildcard and ATP Finals bid. The Basel event also marked a farewell for another veteran, covered in the report on Wawrinka ending his tennis career at Basel. Tuesday’s win shows that Djokovic, unlike Wawrinka, is still chasing the season’s final event rather than closing his career.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Novak Djokovic?
Djokovic is 39 years old, which makes him the oldest match winner in Paris Masters history after Tuesday’s win.
Who did Djokovic beat in Paris?
He beat Valentin Vacherot of Monaco, aged 27, by 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1 in the opening round at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre.
How long did the match last?
The match lasted two hours and 35 minutes, with Djokovic losing the first set before winning the second and third sets.
Why does the win matter for the ATP Finals?
The win keeps Djokovic’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals alive, since a first-round loss in Paris would have ended that bid.
How many Paris Masters titles has Djokovic won?
Djokovic has won the Paris Masters seven times, a record for the tournament.
