Novak Djokovic has failed to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals for only the second time in 20 seasons after a shock second-round defeat at the Rolex Paris Masters. The 39-year-old missed the 2017 edition because of an elbow injury, and he needed a run to the semi-finals in Paris to keep his hopes alive for a place at the showpiece in Turin.
Djokovic, a seven-time champion in Paris, started well against Rinky Hijikata, the 25-year-old Australian and world No 83, but faded badly in a 2-6 6-3 6-3 defeat. With two places still available, his exit leaves the door open for the remaining contenders, including Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
Hijikata said: “It took a lot. I was getting outplayed in the first set and had to hang tough.
“In the end I was glad I maintained my level and trusted myself in the big moments. I felt I had to take it to him and play aggressive.”
Analyst Ryan Harrison, speaking to Gigi Salmon, said: “Novak didn’t really play poorly at all. This was Hijikata absolutely firing on all cylinders.
“After that opening set, Novak was controlling most of the match, particularly behind his serve, but Rinky produced an unbelievable effort off the forehand side that was blistering. He hit just three forehand winners in the first set but then poured them on for sets two and three.”
Race to Turin
The current picture in the qualification race is as follows:
Qualified: Zverev, Alcaraz, Shelton, Medvedev, Cobolli, Fils
Two spots available: Tiafoe (3,390 points, lost in round 32), Jodar (3,234, lost in round 32), De Minaur (3,170, lost in round 32), Djokovic (2,940, lost in round 32), Fritz (2,900), Paul (2,825)
Alcaraz and Zverev in action
Carlos Alcaraz began his bid for a first trophy at the event with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win over Alex Michelsen. The Spanish second seed will face Matteo Berrettini next, after the Italian beat home hope and 2024 finalist Ugo Humbert 7-6 (7-3) 7-5.
Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, became the first male player in tennis history to lose in straight sets on his debut as world No 1. The 29-year-old German, who won the French and US Opens this year, rose to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time on Monday. However, he blew a 5-2 lead in the first-set tie-break on his way to a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 defeat by Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.
Zverev said: “To put it simply, he played really well and I played really badly. It was perhaps one of my worst matches in the last few months.
“I was a bit annoyed the last couple of days because achieving the world No 1 status is something that every player dreams of. But then I feel like I’m the only world No 1 in history who has to explain why it’s normal for me to be No 1, which I find quite difficult because I deserve to be where I am, even though I lost today.
“I don’t think anyone has had to explain themselves as much as I have in the last couple of days, which is annoying.”
The defeat came days after Zverev lost to Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the Vienna Open semi-finals. Musetti, a former world No 5, won six of the final seven points of the opening-set tie-break and then took control of the second set. The 24-year-old broke Zverev for a 2-1 lead and struck again to move 5-2 ahead on his way to victory.
Musetti said: “It’s pretty shocking the level I was able to play in front of him, who was serving really well, especially in the first set.
“It was really close. It could have gone both ways. The key was to stay there at 5-2. I played five great points in a row.”
The win marks a resurgence for Musetti, who has been hampered by injuries throughout the 2026 season. His toughest setback came at the Australian Open, where he retired while leading 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic by two sets in their quarter-final.
Other second-round shocks
Frances Tiafoe wasted four match points in a 6-3 1-6 7-6 (11-9) loss to Frenchman Quentin Halys. That defeat sealed qualification for Arthur Fils, who becomes the first Frenchman to reach the event since Gael Monfils in 2016.
Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev also crashed out, losing 6-4 6-4 to Ignacio Buse.