Novak Djokovic’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 ATP Finals ended on Wednesday after Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata produced a remarkable comeback to defeat the Serbian in the second round of the Paris Masters. Hijikata recovered from a set down to claim a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory at the Plenitude Arena, securing one of the biggest wins of his career against the seven-time tournament champion.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner began strongly, taking the opening set after breaking his opponent twice. However, Hijikata gradually found his rhythm and became more aggressive from the baseline, putting Djokovic under pressure with his groundstrokes. The Australian broke in the eighth game of the second set before holding serve to level the match.
The deciding set remained closely contested until Hijikata broke Djokovic at 3-3, taking advantage of a dip in the Serbian’s serving. He secured another break to close out the match, having saved all the break points he faced in the final set. The victory came despite Hijikata experiencing neck discomfort before the encounter, which had left him uncertain whether he would be fit to play.
Djokovic admitted that he had lost control of a match he believed he was capable of winning. He said: “Disappointment, obviously, losing a match that I felt like I was dominating for a set and a few games.” He added that Hijikata had been “playing out of his mind”, praising the Australian’s consistency and ability to keep the ball low.
The defeat ended Djokovic’s chance of securing a place at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, where the eight leading players on the ATP Tour compete. The Serbian, who has won the competition seven times, needed a deep run in Paris to keep his qualification hopes alive. His exit also marked his first second-round defeat at the tournament since 2012.
Hijikata, ranked 83rd in the world at the time of the match, had come through qualifying to reach the main draw. The victory was his fourth win over a top-20 opponent in 2026 and made him only the fourth Australian to defeat Djokovic, joining Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios and Lleyton Hewitt. He will next face Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who defeated Australia’s Alex de Minaur 7-6(2), 6-3.
Djokovic was among several prominent players eliminated in a day of unexpected results in Paris. World number one Alexander Zverev lost to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, while Daniil Medvedev was beaten by Peru’s Ignacio Buse. The exits of several leading seeds have opened up the draw as the tournament moves towards its final stages.
