A Door That Opened, Then Slammed Shut
Novak Djokovic arrived at the Rolex Paris Masters with an outside chance of booking his place at the ATP Finals in Turin, and for one set it looked like the draw might just fall his way. Earlier on Wednesday, rivals Rafael Jodar, Frances Tiafoe, and Alex de Minaur had all lost, handing the 39-year-old Serbian veteran a genuine opportunity. Djokovic even took the opening set 6-2 against Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata, ranked 83rd in the world. What followed, however, was a stunning reversal.
Hijikata raised his level dramatically in the second and third sets, keeping the ball low and punishing Djokovic with a ferocious forehand that he had largely kept under wraps in the opener. Djokovic, who appeared to struggle physically as the match wore on, committed a stream of errors and ultimately fell 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. After the match, Djokovic acknowledged losing control, saying he had been "dominating for a set and a few games" before the Australian simply took over. Hijikata credited his improved aggression in pressure moments as the difference-maker throughout the week.
What Comes Next for Djokovic
The defeat officially ended Djokovic's qualification bid, marking only the second time in 20 seasons that he has missed the ATP Finals when fit. His 2017 absence came through injury. Despite reaching the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semifinals this season, Djokovic failed to reach a single Masters 1000 quarterfinal in 2026. He plans to play one more event in Greece before resting, bringing his season to a quiet close far from Turin.
With Djokovic out, Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul remain the leading contenders for the final two spots in Turin. TennisDraw users tracking the Race to Turin had been closely monitoring Djokovic's Paris run as a potential late-season storyline worth following in their bracket predictions.
