Novak Djokovic has failed to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals after a shock second-round defeat at the Rolex Paris Masters, his second such failure in 20 seasons. The 39-year-old also missed the 2017 edition, when an elbow injury kept him out. He needed a run to the semi-finals in Paris to stay in contention for a place at the showpiece in Turin, but he lost 2-6 6-3 6-3 to Rinky Hijikata, the 25-year-old Australian ranked 83rd in the world.
Djokovic, a seven-time champion in Paris, started well but faded badly. With two places still available, his exit leaves the door open for the remaining contenders, including Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
Hijikata: “I had to hang tough”
Hijikata reflected on the win: “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.”
Ryan Harrison, analysing the match, said Djokovic had not played poorly. “This was Hijikata absolutely firing on all cylinders,” Harrison said. “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. Just three forehand winners in the first set but he then poured them on for sets two and three.”
Zverev stunned on debut as world No 1
Alexander Zverev became the first male player in the history of tennis to lose in straight sets on his debut match 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. He then blew a 5-2 lead in the first-set tie-break and lost 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.
Zverev admitted his performance fell short: “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.”
He also addressed the scrutiny that followed his ranking rise: “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.” Zverev had also lost to Alex de Minaur in the Vienna Open semi-finals days earlier.
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 Italian broke Zverev for a 2-1 lead and moved 5-2 ahead on his way to victory. “It’s pretty shocking the level I was able to play in front of (Zverev), who was serving really well, especially in the first set,” Musetti said. “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.
Alcaraz advances as Tiafoe and Medvedev fall
Carlos Alcaraz began his bid for a first title 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.
Frances Tiafoe wasted four match points in a 6-3 1-6 7-6 (11-9) loss to Frenchman Quentin Halys. His defeat meant Arthur Fils qualified for the ATP Finals, making him the first Frenchman to reach the event since Gael Monfils in 2016.
Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev also exited, losing 6-4 6-4 to Ignacio Buse.