Novak Djokovic will have to deal with issue at the Paris Masters that he has not in over 20 years

Novak Djokovic needs an almighty performance at the Paris Masters if he is to realise his latest great goal in 2026.

Having opted against playing at the ATP Finals in 2024 and 2025, despite qualifying with ease, this year is the one in which he has decided he is desperate to compete.

It just so happens to also be the time when he is least likely to gain entry, with competition heating up for the final few spots.

Novak Djokovic knows that he needs at least a semi-final run at the Paris Masters to give himself a chance of qualification, and only a title would really make it realistic.

As if things weren’t already massively against him, this latest piece of information suggests he will have to deal with an issue that he hasn’t had in over 20 years.

Novak Djokovic suffers Paris Masters setback for the first time in 20 years

Djokovic was dealt a nightmare draw just last week, as it was revealed that he would face Valentin Vacherot in the very first round.

The Monegasque star, who actually beat the 39-year-old in last year’s Shanghai Masters, is coming off the back of winning his second career title in Basel.

He is perhaps the toughest opening-round fixture that Djokovic could have got, made even more frustrating given that he nearly avoided playing anyone at all.

After all, due to his ranking and subsequent seeding in the French capital, he actually avoided the benefit of a first-round bye.

This has not happened to Djokovic at the Paris Masters since 2005, which was his debut at the tournament.

Ranked 90th in the world at the time, he played Victor Hanescu in the first round and eventually lost in the third round.

All of Novak Djokovic’s Paris Masters titles

• 2009, beat Gaël Monfils in the final
• 2013, beat David Ferrer
• 2014, beat Milos Raonic
• 2015, beat Andy Murray
• 2019, beat Denis Shapovalov
• 2021, beat Daniil Medvedev
• 2023, beat Grigor Dimitrov

The Paris Masters tournament director recently claimed that it might be one of the last times Djokovic ever plays the tournament, as we draw ever closer to his reported 2028 retirement date.

He will hope to depart with a lasting memory of the competition, where he remains the greatest champion in its history, with seven titles.