Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata came from behind to beat seven-time champion Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the Paris Masters second round on November 4. The tournament’s official post-match interview page recorded a duration of two hours and 14 minutes.
Djokovic had beaten Valentin Vacherot in three sets in the previous round, dropping only one game in the decider. He carried that momentum into this match, breaking twice to take the opening set 6-2 before Hijikata found a route back.
The opening came late in the second set
The opening came with Hijikata leading 4-3 in the second set. The tournament report records that he converted his third break point of the game with a winner to go 5-3 ahead, then held serve to love to force a decider.
Three straight games from 3-all in the decider
At 3-all in the decider, a Djokovic double fault at 30-all gave Hijikata a break point in the seventh game, which he converted for 4-3. Eurosport’s game-by-game account records that Hijikata then held for 5-3 and earned two match points with Djokovic serving to stay in the contest. He finished with a return winner on the second, winning the last three games to take the set 6-3.
The tournament report states that Hijikata saved every break point he faced in the decider and won seven of eight net points. Speaking to Eurosport afterwards, he described it as his biggest career win and said he had kept fighting while behind before the match turned.
On his Paris Masters main-draw debut, Hijikata advanced from qualifying to the last 16 and earned his first win over Djokovic after losing their two previous meetings.
| Player | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rinky Hijikata | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Novak Djokovic | 6 | 3 | 3 |
