After a trio of three-set battles to reach the final at the Rolex Paris Masters, Novak Djokovic carved a more straightforward path to victory Sunday when he eased past Grigor Dimitrov to claim a record-extending seventh title at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Djokovic delivered a typically resilient all-around performance to clinch a 6-4, 6-3 triumph and become the first player to win 40 Masters 1000 crowns. The Serbian’s consistency from the baseline gave Dimitrov few opportunities to rouse the level he had shown en route to the championship match, and a single break in each set was enough for Djokovic to wrap a 98-minute victory.

“[It’s] incredible. To be able to win it after quite challenging circumstances for me this week,” said Djokovic. “Basically, coming back from the brink of losing three matches in a row, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I was very close to losing those matches and somehow managed to find an extra gear when it was needed.

“Today, I think we both were quite tight at the beginning, and I could see that he was running out of gas a little bit. Myself as well, but I somehow managed to find an extra shot over the net. I think the match was closer than the scoreline indicates, but another amazing win for me. I’m very proud of this one, considering what I’ve been through this week.”

Just his 𝟗𝟕𝐓𝐇 career title! 😮‍💨

🏆 @DjokerNole 🏆 @RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/HLZw3jHOrE

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 5, 2023

The win means World No. 1 Djokovic will now head to the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals on an 18-match winning streak, dating back to his Wimbledon final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz. By lifting the Paris trophy, Djokovic extended his lead over the Spaniard in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin to 1490 points, making it highly likely he will claim the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone honour for a record-extending eighth time.

A tearful Dimitrov could not initially hide his disappointment after just falling short of his second Masters 1000 crown, and his first tour-level title since the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals. Djokovic took time to console the Bulgarian in his chair.

“I’ve been in these situations before many times, losing finals,” said Djokovic, when asked what he had said to the Bulgarian. “I’ve of course been blessed to win more finals than I’ve lost, and I really hope that he will continue to play at a high level. He’s been playing some of his best tennis this week, and I wish him all the best. I hope he can win big events.”

Dimitrov later reflected positively on his thrilling run to the final during the trophy ceremony: “I just wanted to say how grateful I am for this amazing week. It’s been such a rollercoaster the past three months for me. Getting to the final of this tournament means so much more than you guys can imagine. But also, it would not have been possible without you throughout the week [and your] support.”

After sealing his 10th straight tour-level win against Dimitrov, Djokovic now leads the Bulgarian 12-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Although the Bulgarian entered the match having played some of the best tennis of his career this week to down seeded opponents Daniil Medvedev, Hubert Hurkacz and Stefanos Tsitsipas, he never looked like reproducing those heroics in Sunday’s final.

Djokovic pulled away from the Bulgarian following a cagey start to take the first set inside Accor Arena. The Serbian won 88 per cent (15/17) of points behind his first serve in a largely solid first-set display, and that dominance behind his delivery allowed Djokovic to hit freely on return. He clinched a decisive break in the seventh game as Dimitrov, who made a costly 19 unforced errors in the set, struggled to match the 36-year-old’s consistency from the baseline.

Although Dimitrov had forced Djokovic to Deuce in the final game of the first set, that was as close as the Bulgarian came to a breakthrough on return. Djokovic struck a decisive blow when he converted his first break point of the second set to move 3-2 ahead, and the Serbian did not flinch as he secured his 50th career win in Paris-Bercy having hit 15 winners, including six aces.

Novak Djokovic continues to rewrite the record books, extending his sizable ‘Big Titles’ advantage by winning the Rolex Paris Masters on Sunday.

By defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the Paris-Bercy final, the Serbian claimed his 40th ATP Masters 1000 trophy, becoming the first player to reach that milestone.

Djokovic has now won 70 ‘Big Titles’, which is a combination of Grand Slam championships, trophies at the Nitto ATP Finals and ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, and Olympic singles gold medals. 

Djokovic has won one ‘Big Title’ for every 3.1 events played (70/217). Only three other players have claimed ‘Big Titles’ at a rate better than one for every five events played: Nadal (1/3.5), Federer (1/4.4) and Pete Sampras (1/4.9).

The 36-year-old has won the Rolex Paris Masters seven times, also a record. Having also emerged victorious in Cincinnati this year, he has earned multiple Masters 1000 titles in 12 seasons during his career.

Djokovic is tied for the most titles on the ATP Tour this season with six (also Carlos Alcaraz) according to Infosys ATP Stats. The 97-time tour-level titlist is three triumphs away from becoming the third player on record to reach 100 titles (Jimmy Connors, 109 and Federer, 103). 

Current and Former Champions’ Big Titles Won (Records Since 1990)

^ Includes Olympic Games gold medals and tournament participations
* Becker’s four other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
** Edberg’s three other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
*** Chang’s one Grand Slam title came before 1990

Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin extended their late-season winning streak to eight on Sunday to clinch the title at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The seventh-seeded duo defeated Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 6-2, 5-7, 10-7 to lift the trophy at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the French capital. Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin converted both break points they earned to claim victory, holding firm after dropping their first set of the week in the championship match in Paris.

“The set we lost, it’s totally my fault. I did a pretty bad game in the second set, but Santi helped a lot at the changeover,” said home favourite Roger-Vasselin. “[He said] ‘It’s OK, we’re just going to fight every point and enjoy the crowd’. For me it’s super special to win here in Paris, so I’m really thankful to Santi. He played amazing all week, and I’m really happy to win this trophy here.”

The franchise players ⭐️⭐️

The moment @gonzalezsanty & @ERogerVasselin locked up the doubles title in Paris, defeating Bopanna/Ebden 6-2, 5-7, 10-7!@RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/e5lP9GGm0w

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 5, 2023

Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin, who also lifted the trophy in Basel a week ago, defeated the second, third and fourth-seeded pairs en route to their second Masters 1000 crown of the year. The duo has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where the pair will enter the prestigious season finale on a high.

“The last two weeks were amazing, ending the year like this and now going to Turin with confidence,” said Gonzalez. “We are happy to win our second Masters title of this year, so we are very pleased about it and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin are now 51-21 in their first full season together on the ATP Tour. They became champions in Marseille, Miami and Los Cabos prior to their Basel and Paris triumphs, and will enter Turin in fourth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.

The final ATP 250 action of 2023 takes place in Metz and Sofia, where a host of top stars line up at a pair of indoor hard-court events.

Alex de Minaur leads the field at the Moselle Open in Metz, where Karen Khachanov and Stan Wawrinka also feature in the draw. At the Sofia Open, Lorenzo Musetti, Adrian Mannarino and Jan-Lennard Struff are among the Top 30 players eyeing a successful end to the year.

ATPTour.com looks ahead at five things to watch at each event.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN METZ
1) De Minaur Headlines Draw: Although his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes were ended by quarter-final defeat at the Rolex Paris Masters, De Minaur will aim to cap a strong year with a deep run in Metz. The Australian, who lifted the biggest title of his career in Acapulco in March, will take on one of two home wild cards first up — Pierre-Hugues Herbert or #NextGenATP Arthur Cazaux.

2) Humbert Leads Home Hopes: Five other Frenchmen (not including qualifiers/lucky losers) join Herbert and Cazaux in the Metz field. They are led by fourth seed Ugo Humbert, who is chasing his first match win at the event since 2018. Like his countryman Cazaux, Luca Van Assche is in contention to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals, and the 19-year-old will make his main-draw debut in Metz against Botic van de Zandschulp.

3) Khachanov, Bublik Seeded: Both Khachanov and Alexander Bublik have spent time in the ATP Tour winners’ circle this year. Seeded third in Metz, the Zhuhai winner Khachanov arrives fresh from a quarter-final run in Paris. Halle and Antwerp champion Bublik is the fifth seed.

4) Wawrinka, Thiem Eye Trophy: A pair of former World No. 3s seek a return to their title-winning ways in Metz. Both Wawrinka (Umag) and Dominic Thiem (Kitzbühel) have reached tour-level finals this year — can either player go all the way this week in north-eastern France?

5) Sonego Defends Crown: A year ago, Lorenzo Sonego charged to his third ATP Tour crown in Metz without dropping a set all week. The Italian is 6-5 at indoor events this year, but will hope that fond memories of the Moselle Open can help him rediscover his best form under the Metz roof.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN SOFIA
1) Musetti Top Seed: Lorenzo Musetti has enjoyed another solid year, racking up a 32-27 record and reaching at least the quarter-finals at nine ATP Tour events. The Italian will look to add a third ATP Tour trophy to his collection as the top seed in Sofia, where he reached the semi-finals in 2022.

2) Mannarino On The March: Adrian Mannarino has notched a personal-best 39 tour-level wins this season, a tally that includes title runs in Newport and Astana. The 35-year-old Frenchman will hope to hit 40 and beyond this week in Bulgaria, where he made the last four in 2020 before falling to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.

3) Can Top 30 Stars Claim Late-Season Boost?: Jan-Lennard Struff came within one point of claiming his maiden ATP Tour title in Stuttgart in July. The German has one more chance this year to break his trophy duck when he lines up as the third seed in Sofia. After adding the Cordoba, Kitzbühel and Winston-Salem crowns to his collection in 2023, Sebastian Baez is now a four-time tour-level champion. Can the Argentine make it five in Bulgaria?

4) Former Champion Bautista Agut: After missing nearly three months due to injury from July to October, Roberto Bautista Agut made his return to ATP Tour action in Stockholm three weeks ago. The Spaniard is the only former champion in the field in Sofia, where he claimed the fourth of his 11 tour-level crowns in 2016.

5) Gille/Vliegen Lead Doubles Field: Belgian duo Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen chase their third ATP Tour title of the season as the top seeds in Sofia. Despite narrowly missing out on a Nitto ATP Finals spot, second seeds Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow have also enjoyed a stellar year, lifting four ATP 250 titles together.

Grigor Dimitrov has the chance to end a rock-solid year in spectacular fashion at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The Bulgarian has been the model of consistency in 2023, racking up a 41-20 record and reaching one tour-level championship match and four other semi-finals. Although the 32-year-old Dimitrov’s wait for his ninth ATP Tour title has now gone on for nearly six years, he is determined to be proactive in trying to change that in Paris-Bercy as he takes on Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final at the ATP Masters 1000. (Watch live from 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET)

“I think for me where I’m at right now, things in a way, they’re going my way, but also I’m looking for them as well,” said Dimitrov after he overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas in Saturday’s semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event. “I’m not waiting for my opponent to do something with it or I’m not waiting for them to miss.

“I want to win or lose on my own terms… I can control my attitude, and I don’t want to feel sorry for myself for the past years. I don’t want to feel like I have missed opportunities. Have I? Yeah, of course, too many, if you ask me. Have I made mistakes? Yes, too many.

“There comes a point where it’s like, okay, I’m accepting all that had been thrown at me, what I had to face, and I continue. I get to have another chance. So when you get that chance, try to use it. So I’m trying to give myself a chance.”

Djokovic enters Sunday’s match on a 17-match winning streak and with an 11-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead against Dimitrov. Two of those victories came in Paris-Bercy (2016, 2019), where the Serbian is chasing a record-extending seventh title and his sixth tour-level crown of 2023. The 36-year-old has been tested this week in France, however, both by his opponents and a stomach virus that has left him feeling under the weather.

“[I have been] going through quite a difficult stomach virus that really made me feel terrible the past three days, but somehow [managed] to find strength, find energy under the adrenaline rush of playing a match,” said Djokovic, who battled past Tallon Griekspoor, Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev all in three sets to book his spot in the final. “Not giving up, fighting and believing that I can come back, which happened again and hopefully it can happen tomorrow.”

Djokovic would become the first player to win 40 Masters 1000 titles by extending his winning streak against Dimitrov to 10 on Sunday afternoon in Paris, where he tasted defeat in the 2022 final against Rune. It would also increase his Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin lead over Carlos Alcaraz to 1490 points and make it highly likely he will claim the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone honour for the a record-extending eighth time.

Beating Djokovic in Bercy therefore represents a daunting task for Dimitrov, who lifted his sole Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati in 2017, the same year as his Nitto ATP Finals triumph. He has already upsets seeded opponents Daniil Medvedev, Hubert Hurkacz and Tsitsipas this week, however, and the Bulgarian may feel he has little to lose as he looks for his eighth, and arguably most important, Top 10 win of the year.

“It means a lot to me for so many different reasons,” said Dimitrov of his Paris run. “I don’t take this very lightly… I appreciate it a lot because I know how difficult it has been for me, certain tournaments and months throughout the year. So I guess this came at the right time.

“I don’t know what to say. I think getting to this final means a lot more to me than some, I think even some moments, some big moments in my career. Right now I’m just staying in the moment. I have one more match to play. I’m going to give it all. What’s going to happen, I don’t know. But I’d say this week means, from a very different perspective, a lot.”

Novak Djokovic maintained his perfect record in semi-finals at the Rolex Paris Masters on Saturday evening, but not before overcoming a marathon hard-hitting test from Andrey Rublev in the French capital.

The World No. 1 prevailed 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 against the fifth-seeded Rublev to move within one win of a record-extending seventh title at the ATP Masters 1000. Despite some uncharacteristically wayward baseline play and having treatment from the physio on his lower back between the second and third sets, Djokovic held firm in the decider to clinch a three-hour, two-minute triumph.

“Rublev was suffocating me like a snake suffocates a frog for most of the match,” said Djokovic. “He was playing an extremely high level that he possesses, but today he was off the charts, honestly. I don’t think I’ve ever faced Rublev this good.”

Djokovic is now 9-0 in semi-finals in Paris-Bercy, where he will compete for his 40th Masters 1000 crown in Sunday’s championship match. His opponent there will be Grigor Dimitrov, after the Bulgarian earlier defeated Stefanos Tstisipas 6-3, 6-7(1), 7-6(3).

“[I have been] going through quite a difficult stomach virus that really made me feel terrible the past three days, but somehow managing to find strength, find energy under the adrenaline rush of playing a match,” said Djokovic, when asked what he was most proud of this week as he bids for his seventh Paris title. “Not giving up, fighting and believing that I can come back, which happened again and hopefully it can happen tomorrow.”

MAGNIFIQUE NOLE 🫶

Six-time champ @DjokerNole advances to the showpiece final, defeating Rublev 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 in a THRILLER! @RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/54JL72rafs

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 4, 2023

Although he broke Rublev’s serve in the opening game of the match, Djokovic was not at his best in the first set inside Accor Arena. Rublev overhauled his early deficit to take the opener with the help of eight unforced errors from the Serbian, including a backhand drop shot that barely made it halfway up the net when set point down.

Djokovic had needed three sets to see off Tallon Griekspoor and Holger Rune in his previous two rounds in Paris and the top seed showed signs of fatigue throughout the match against Rublev. That did not stop him pressuring his opponent in return games, however. He carved out four break points to Rublev’s one in the second set and although neither man could convert, it was Djokovic who raised his level in the tie-break to level the match.

Despite receiving treatment on his lower back before the final set began, Djokovic looked focused as he began to dictate the baseline exchanges against the free-hitting Rublev. The fifth seed saved two break points to escape 15/40 in the fourth game, but he could not do the same at 5-6 as the under-pressure Rublev double-faulted on match point to hand Djokovic the win.

“I was struggling with my fitness again a little bit at the beginning, but I kind of went through it,” said Djokovic. “It was crucial obviously to win the second set. The tie-break, I served very well and that helped.

“In the third set, I thought I was always there in his service games, having chances. He came up with some big serves when he needed to, but in the end, a double fault. An unfortunate ending for him, but I think I deserved it considering the amount of effort and fight I put in, especially in the third.”

France has rarely lacked entertainers when it comes to tennis. The country’s current crop of #NextGenATP talent is no different.

When Arthur Cazaux steps on court, he is not just thinking about continuing his rise up the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The 21-year-old is also driven by a need to follow in the footsteps of the sport’s great entertainers.

“I think it’s good to keep our identity and put some show in the game,” Cazaux told ATPTour.com earlier this year. “It’s important for tennis and also for the crowd, because people come to watch us for a show. So it’s good to have these kinds of players, like Yannick Noah and now with Gael Monfils, with Nick Kyrgios. That’s good.”

The World No. 124 Cazaux will have to the chance to demonstrate his own on-court charisma at home this week at the Moselle Open in Metz, where he competes as a wild card at the ATP 250. Currently 11th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Jeddah, it could be a decisive moment in his bid to make a late charge towards the season-ending Next Gen ATP Finals.

Arthur Cazaux” />

_{^{Arthur Cazaux in ATP Challenger Tour action in Bordeaux earlier this year. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/ATP Tour.}}

With Arthur Fils and Luca Van Assche both in a strong position to make the eight-player field in Saudi Arabia, Cazaux could be the third Frenchman to qualify this year for the 21-and-under event. Like Fils and Van Assche, he is quick to pay tribute to the influence of the French stars of his childhood, some of whom are still playing and are now his colleagues on the ATP Tour.

“We always have many good players, many players in the Top 100, so I think [there are good role models] in France,” said Cazaux. “It was a good influence on me when I was younger. The ‘Musketeer’ generation, with [Richard] Gasquet, [Gael] Monfils, [Jo-Wilfried] Tsonga, [Gilles] Simon, also [Adrian] Mannarino, all these players. It was so nice to watch French players at the top.

“So it was good [then] in France and it’s still good in France. Now I can train with these kinds of players, I can talk with these kinds of players. It’s helped me a lot.”

Cazaux’s biggest childhood idol actually hailed from one of France’s western European neighbours. Yet while Rafael Nadal was undoubtedly No. 1 in the young Cazaux’s eyes, one of the earliest matches that sticks in his memory featured the Spaniard playing second fiddle to a French great.

“[I remember] Tsonga destroyed Rafa [6-2, 6-3, 6-2] in the semi-final of the Australian Open [in 2008],” said Cazaux. “It was unbelievable. Jo took the match to his advantage, and he hit the ball so hard during this match, it was crazy… It was kind of crazy to put this kind of score up against Rafa during a semi-final.

“I was so young. Of course, I supported the French player, but Rafa was my idol… Jo was [also] a true inspiration for me. He was a role model. He played so good during all his career, he beat all the best players. I had the chance also to speak many times with him and he is an unbelievable person.”

Advice from former Top 10 stars such as Tsonga seems to be paying off for Cazaux, who has won two ATP Challenger Tour titles, one of which came during a 13-match winning streak (including qualifying) at the start of 2023. He hit his career-high of No. 119 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in August.

“When I was speaking with him, often we spoke about the mentality,” reflected Cazaux on his time spent with Tsonga. “Also with injuries. Even though I’m young, I had many big injuries and I know Jo also had some big injuries during his career. We spoke a lot about this, about how to come back better on court. It was really cool.”

While Tsonga possessed plenty of joie de vivre on court, Monfils is the player whose game style Cazaux is most drawn to.

“Gael Monfils was one of my favourite players and is still one of my favourite players,” said Cazaux. “Now, I’ve met him, and I see him on the on the Tour, so it’s different, but he inspires me a lot, with his ‘showman’ style. We are also [both] big fans of the NBA, and we have this influence also. We spoke a lot about this.”

With so many potential inspirations, Cazaux could be forgiven for simply trying to replicate one of his childhood heroes with his on-court demeanour. Yet just as Tsonga, Monfils et al. did before him, Cazaux is focused on bringing his own unique brand of tennis to courts around the world.

“I’m authentic. I keep my personality,” he said. “I think I have my own personality and I’m very different from all the other players. I’m a cool guy and I think when you watch me on court, you think that too.”

Grigor Dimitrov advanced to his second ATP Masters 1000 final and first since 2017 on Saturday when he clawed past Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-7(1), 7-6(3) at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The Bulgarian is chasing his first tour-level trophy since 2017, when he won the Nitto ATP Finals trophy. The 32-year-old moved to within one victory of achieving that feat after producing a high-quality display against Tsitsipas to improve to 2-6 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. With little to separate them, Dimitrov produced free-flowing tennis in the third-set tie-break to build a lead, before he struck a backhand pass on match point to advance after two hours and 32 minutes.

“I am just happy I was able to get through that match in such a manner,” Dimitrov said. “After that second set, especially the tie-break, it was getting very tricky again. 15/40 down in the third again and I was just thinking it can’t keep going like this, so I have to change something. In order to beat someone like him I just had to step through. That is the only thing I could have done.

“Throughout the match I felt I was doing a lot of good things and in the middle of the second [set] he picked up his game and in the end I waited for the tie-break.”

Dimitrov, who reached his only other Masters 1000 final in Cincinnati in 2017, will face Novak Djokovic or Andrey Rublev in Sunday’s final. The 32-year-old is up to No. 14 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings and will climb to No. 12 on Monday if he wins the title. The last time Dimitrov was as high as No. 12 was in October 2018, when he was No. 10. The Bulgarian has now won 41 tour-level matches this year. He has only passed the 40 mark three times in his career.

“I played very good [in the tie-break],” Dimitrov said. “The first five points in the tie-break were excellent. I took those chances and that was all I could do against such a high-quality player. If you let him dictate you are done. But I kept on believing and kept staying focused and made sure everytime I had the ball on the racquet, I did something with it.”

Dimitrov took the ball early off both wings to rush Tsitsipas, who earned his 300th tour-level win on Friday. He struck 38 winners, won 23/25 of net points and saved all four break points he faced to earn his seventh Top 10 win of the season. He also defeated World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev in the second round in Paris.

“There were no tears but I got very emotional,” Dimitrov said. “I am just living in the moment right now. It has been a funny road of late, but each win means more and more to me.”

Tsitsipas was chasing his third ATP Masters 1000 title, having triumphed in Monte-Carlo in 2021 and 2022. The Greek will now travel to Turin where he will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive year.

Did You Know?
The past three matches between Dimitrov and Tsitsipas have gone to deciding-set tie-breaks.