Novak Djokovic Faces Vacherot Again in Paris Opener

Novak Djokovic opens the Paris Masters on Tuesday against the one man in the draw who has already beaten him in a Masters semifinal: Valentin Vacherot. The seven-time Paris champion, seeded 10th, gets the Monegasque one day after Vacherot won the Basel title.

Djokovic has more than a title run on the line. He is still chasing a spot in the ATP Finals, and Paris is his final event of the season. A loss in the first round could end that hunt before it gets going.

The Shanghai Shock

Vacherot stunned Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in the Shanghai semifinals 13 months ago, when he was a qualifier ranked No. 204. He went on to win the title, becoming the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Masters 1000 history.

He is a very different player now. Vacherot has stayed inside the Top 40 since that run, and he arrives in Paris on a five-match winning streak, just like he did before Shanghai. He beat Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz and then Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday's Basel final.

"It's going to be a totally different match," Vacherot told ATPTour.com on Monday. "It was more surreal back then to play Novak. For me to be in a semi-final in Shanghai and play him, everything was just surreal. Beating him was just insane."

Why Djokovic Got a Tough Draw

Only the top eight seeds get a first-round bye in Paris, so the 10th-seeded Djokovic had to play Tuesday no matter what. He drew one of the hottest players in the field.

Vacherot is treating it like a final. Paris is his last tournament of the year, and it is about a one-hour flight from home.

"Technically, tomorrow night, my season could be over," he said. "I hope not, but it's good because I'm staying focused, giving it 100 per cent."

What to Watch

The question is legs versus rest. Vacherot played a full week in Basel, and he admitted he was still enjoying the title on Monday. Djokovic has had more time off since his last match.

The match is set for Tuesday afternoon in Paris, which means early Tuesday morning for West Coast fans. The winner stays alive in a Paris draw led by new world No. 1 Alexander Zverev, with Jannik Sinner out for the rest of the season.

Smacktok lean: this one should go long. Vacherot owns the only head-to-head win, rides a five-match streak and expects a packed crowd, while Djokovic has the Paris history and the fresher body. Lean on Djokovic to survive, but lean on it taking three sets.