Rinky Hijikata stuns Novak Djokovic at Paris Masters
World No. 83 Rinky Hijikata defeated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in three sets, ending the Serbian's hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals.
Rinky Hijikata, ranked world No. 83, defeated top-seeded Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Paris Masters. The Australian qualifier's stunning second-round victory on Thursday (AEDT) eliminated the 24-time grand slam champion from contention for the season-ending ATP Finals.
Hijikata became the lowest-ranked player to beat Djokovic this season. The 25-year-old from Sydney had almost withdrawn from the match due to neck pain. He credited adrenaline for carrying him through to the biggest win of his career.
Djokovic's ATP Finals hopes dashed
Djokovic's defeat ended his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin, a tournament he has won seven times. The 39-year-old needed a deep run in Paris, the final Masters event of the year, to secure his spot. His prospects had improved earlier with the exits of Frances Tiafoe, Rafael Jodar, and Alex de Minaur from the Race to Turin.
Arthur Fils secured his place in the ATP Finals for the first time following Djokovic's exit. Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, and Flavio Cobolli had already qualified. Two spots remained available for Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
Djokovic, a seven-time Paris champion playing the event for the first time in three years, returned to court a day after a three-set win over Valentin Vacherot. He had received treatment for a shoulder injury during that match. After winning the first set against Hijikata, he lost control of the contest. Hijikata forced errors on the Serbian's serve in the deciding set.
"Disappointment, obviously, losing a match that I felt like I was dominating for a set and a few games," Djokovic said. He admitted he was not serving well and that his opponent was playing exceptionally.
Hijikata's career milestone
The victory marked Hijikata's fourth top-20 win of 2026 and sent him within one victory of a career-high ranking inside the top 60. He is the fourth Australian to defeat Djokovic. Hijikata, whose career-high is No. 62, has never won an ATP Tour singles title. He previously won the first set against Rafael Nadal at the 2022 US Open before losing in four sets.
His preparation for the match was far from ideal. "I just cooked my neck a bit yesterday and, to be honest, it wasn’t feeling great last night or this morning," Hijikata said. He expressed happiness at maintaining his level and admitted he was unsure if he would take the court that day.
Tournament upsets and next challenge
The day saw other major upsets at the Paris Masters. Lorenzo Musetti defeated new world No. 1 Alexander Zverev. Daniil Medvedev lost to Ignacio Buse.
Hijikata now advances to the round of 16. His next opponent is Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who defeated world No. 9 Alex de Minaur 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. Their match is scheduled for Friday morning (AEDT).
