Djokovic Survives Moutet’s Upset Bid In Paris

Novak Djokovic held off an upset bid on Wednesday at the Rolex Paris Masters to keep alive his hopes of finishing as the year-end No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.

Djokovic saved two set points in the opening set and broke #NextGenATP Frenchman Corentin Moutet as the 20-year-old served for the opener before returning to his usual form and advancing 7-6(2), 6-4.

“I didn’t feel health-wise 100 per cent in the last couple of days, but it is what it is. It’s not the first time I didn’t play at a really high level. Lots of errors, especially in the first set,” Djokovic said. “First time against a young player who is talented, very quick. Returns a lot of balls back that usually other guys wouldn’t get, he gets it. And he was pumped, and I respect his fighting spirit.

“It was a good match in the end, and I found a way to win, which in [these] circumstances… when you’re not feeling your best, is important.”

Djokovic, serving at 3-5, erased both set points – 30/40, Ad-Out – despite a fervent French crowd pulling for Moutet. The next game, a nervy Moutet sprayed a forehand wide to give Djokovic the break to 15. The Serbian sprinted through the tie-break as Moutet grew frustrated.

Moutet gained one of two breaks back in the second set and forced Djokovic to serve it out at 5-4, but the Serbian did so with ease to reach the third round of the season’s final ATP Masters 1000 event. Djokovic was more aggressive than Moutet all match, hitting nearly three times as many balls inside than court than the Frenchman.

Djokovic Rally Hit Points

Moutet Rally Hit Points

“I’m disappointed. I enjoyed myself playing very much against Novak with the crowd [cheering] us,” Moutet said. “There are a few opportunities that I missed, but next time.”

He will next meet Briton Kyle Edmund, who beat 14^th seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 7-5, 6-3. Djokovic leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 4-1, with Edmund’s win coming on clay at the 2018 Mutua Madrid Open.

The Serbian needs to finish fewer than 1,500 ATP Race To London points behind Nadal to have a chance at ending the year in the top spot for the sixth time. He is currently 1,280 Race points behind Nadal, who controls his fate when it comes to year-end No. 1. Should the Spaniard win his first Masters 1000 Paris title, he will finish year-end No. 1 for the fifth time.

“I understand that I need to play better and feel better to have a chance to go far in this tournament and, as a result of that, to have a chance to still be in the battle for No. 1,” Djokovic said. “But, again, it doesn’t depend only on me. It depends on him. But my focus is on me.”

– Hawkeye data and visuals courtesy ATP Media