Djokovic draws Vacherot in Paris Masters opener, with de Minaur and Zverev in his path

• Djokovic (No. 10) has no bye and opens against Vacherot.
• His likely path: de Minaur (No. 8), then Zverev (No. 1) in the quarterfinals.
• Big first-round matches: Musetti vs. Hurkacz, Rune vs. Paul (No. 12), Tien (No. 15) vs. Tsitsipas.
• Fils (No. 6), a doubt after his Basel retirement, is in Alcaraz’s quarter.
• Zverev and Alcaraz can only meet in the final.

Djokovic vs. Vacherot: stellar 1st round

Novak Djokovic owns more Paris Masters titles than anyone in the tournament’s 40 years, seven of them. He returns this week without the privilege those trophies once guaranteed. Seeded No. 10 at the Rolex Paris Masters, outside the top eight who skip the first round, the Serb will open against Valentin Vacherot of Monaco on Monday or Tuesday. The draw then points him toward Alex de Minaur in the third round and Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.

Tournament director Cédric Pioline singled out the detail at Friday’s draw ceremony at the Plenitude Arena. “It’s a small quirk that can’t have happened to him in a very long time,” Pioline said. “He’s seeded, but not in the top eight. That means he’ll play his first round on Monday or Tuesday.”

Djokovic comes back to Paris after two years away, for his first appearance at the arena that replaced Bercy last season. He arrives with a goal beyond a record eighth title. Pioline noted that Djokovic has said he wants to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, which start Nov. 15. His week in Basel ended Thursday with a loss to Jan-Lennard Struff.

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His first opponent arrives from the same tournament in better shape. Vacherot beat Rafael Jodar in Basel on Thursday. The winner of their match will face Luciano Darderi or a qualifier, before a likely meeting with de Minaur, the No. 8 seed. Zverev waits beyond that. He is seeded No. 1 and will play his first tournament as world No. 1, a milestone the tournament plans to mark with a ceremony alongside the ATP.

Zverev’s own start is anything but gentle. After a first-round bye, he will face the winner of Lorenzo Musetti and Hubert Hurkacz, one of several heavyweight matches in the opening round.

Holger Rune, the 2022 champion, is unseeded and faces Tommy Paul (No. 12), with Frances Tiafoe (No. 7) waiting in the third round. Learner Tien (No. 15) opens against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Karen Khachanov, champion in 2018, plays Denis Shapovalov in a section that leads to Daniil Medvedev (No. 4), who won the title in 2020. Brandon Nakashima (No. 14) meets Matteo Berrettini, and Alex Michelsen plays Jiri Lehecka for the right to face Carlos Alcaraz in the second round.

Nine French players are in the draw, and two of them open against seeds. Arthur Rinderknech faces Francisco Cerundolo (No. 16), while wild card Moise Kouame plays Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 13). Ugo Humbert meets Botic van de Zandschulp.

Arthur Fils, seeded No. 6, has a bye and is in Alcaraz’s quarter, but his participation is uncertain after he retired from his Basel quarterfinal against Taylor Fritz on Friday with pain in his leg.

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Rolex Paris Masters 2026 draw

TOP HALF
Alexander Zverev (GER) (No. 1) vs. bye
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) vs. Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
Luca Van Assche (FRA) vs. Mariano Navone (ARG)
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Learner Tien (USA) (No. 15)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) (No. 10) vs. Valentin Vacherot (MON)
Luciano Darderi (ITA) vs. Qualifier/SE
Andrey Rublev vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG)
Bye vs. Alex de Minaur (AUS) (No. 8)
Ben Shelton (USA) (No. 3) vs. bye
Cameron Norrie (GBR) vs. Matteo Arnaldi (ITA)
Qualifier/SE vs. Qualifier/SE
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) vs. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) (No. 16)
Tommy Paul (USA) (No. 12) vs. Holger Rune (DEN)
Daniel Merida (ESP) vs. Alexander Blockx (BEL)
Quentin Halys (FRA) vs. Arthur Fery (GBR)
Bye vs. Frances Tiafoe (USA) (No. 7)

BOTTOM HALF
Third quarter
Flavio Cobolli (ITA) (No. 5) vs. bye
Qualifier/SE vs. Arthur Gea (FRA) (WC)
Casper Ruud (NOR) vs. Qualifier/SE
Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) vs. Rafael Jodar (ESP) (No. 9)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) (No. 13) vs. Moise Kouame (FRA) (WC)
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) vs. Karen Khachanov
Ignacio Buse (PER) vs. Zizou Bergs (BEL)
Bye vs. Daniil Medvedev (No. 4)
Arthur Fils (FRA) (No. 6) vs. bye
Kyrian Jacquet (FRA) (WC) vs. Qualifier/SE
Qualifier/SE vs. Titouan Droguet (FRA) (WC)
Qualifier/SE vs. Taylor Fritz (USA) (No. 11)
Brandon Nakashima (USA) (No. 14) vs. Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
Ugo Humbert (FRA) vs. Botic van de Zandschulp (NED)
Alex Michelsen (USA) vs. Jiri Lehecka (CZE)
Bye vs. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) (No. 2)

Theoretical quarterfinals

Alexander Zverev (No. 1) vs. Alex de Minaur (No. 8)
Ben Shelton (No. 3) vs. Frances Tiafoe (No. 7)
Flavio Cobolli (No. 5) vs. Daniil Medvedev (No. 4)
Arthur Fils (No. 6) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2)