Novak Djokovic maintained his pursuit of an eighth year-end No. 1 ranking by securing a victory against Tomas Martin Etcheverry with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday.
Returning to singles action for the first time since mid-September, Djokovic acknowledged the initial struggle to find his rhythm but expressed satisfaction with his performance, particularly towards the end of the second set.
His dominance was evident as he won five consecutive games to claim the opening set, with an ace and a 2-0 lead in the second set. Djokovic faced a single break point, which he adeptly saved with a forehand cross-court winner at 1-0 in the second set.
A six-time champion at the Paris Masters, Djokovic extended his lead to 5-1 before concluding the match on his third match point when Etcheverry made an error with a backhand.
While Djokovic increased his lead in the race for the year-end top spot over No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, he cannot secure the year-end No. 1 spot in Paris, as Alcaraz earned 10 points despite his second-round defeat.
The Paris Masters winner receives 1,000 points, with 1,500 points available for a flawless run at the ATP Finals. Djokovic holds the men’s record with seven year-end No. 1 finishes, one ahead of Pete Sampras. Steffi Graf holds the overall record with eight in women’s tennis.
In a press conference earlier, Djokovic emphasized his enduring love for the game and his significant goals of winning another major championship, regaining the No. 1 ranking and finishing the year at the top.
Following Daniil Medvedev’s loss to Grigor Dimitrov, Alcaraz remains the sole contender who could potentially overtake Djokovic, as Medvedev dropped out of contention.
Medvedev faced crowd displeasure during the match, prompting a response in French, stating that if the audience continued to disturb, he would not continue playing, resulting in an overwhelming shift in support towards his opponent, Dimitrov.
Tommy Paul and Casper Ruud faced defeats, consequently eliminating their chances to qualify for the ATP Finals. Conversely, players like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Hubert Hurkacz, and Alex de Minaur remain in contention for the remaining spots in the eight-man tournament in Turin, Italy, from November 12-19.
The Paris Masters witnessed further matches, with notable wins for Sinner, Tsitsipas, Zverev, Rune, Hurkacz, and De Minaur, further shaping the roster for the ATP Finals.
Amid late matchups, the tournament saw intense clashes, concluding with players vying for key positions in the season-ending ATP Finals.
Source: CHINA DAILY
