Novak Djokovic stayed on track for the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record eighth time by beating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters.
Djokovic was competing in his first singles match since mid-September when he played for Serbia in the group stage of the Davis Cup.
“At the beginning of the match, it was a bit difficult for me to find the rhythm,” the top-seeded Djokovic said on court, “but at the end of the second set, it was really good.”
Djokovic won five straight games to take the opening set with an ace and lead 2-0 in the second set. The Serbian player only faced one break point that he saved with a forehand cross-court winner at 1-0 in the second set.
A six-time champion at the Paris Masters, Djokovic increased his lead to 5-1 before converting his third match point when Etcheverry netted a backhand.
Djokovic can widen the gap with No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the race for the year-end top spot after the Spaniard lost to qualifier Roman Safiullin on Tuesday.
Alcaraz is the only player who can overtake Djokovic after Daniil Medvedev dropped out of contention after he was beaten by Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2) earlier Wednesday.
Djokovic had racked up 500 more points than Alcaraz this season before the Paris Masters. Djokovic won’t be able to clinch the year-end No. 1 spot in Paris since Alcaraz still gets 10 points for his second-round defeat.
There are 1,000 points for the Paris Masters winner and 1,500 points for a perfect run at the ATP Finals.
Djokovic holds the men’s record with seven year-end No. 1 finishes, one more than Pete Sampras. Women’s tennis great Steffi Graf holds the overall record with eight.
“Of course, my greatest motivation is still love for the game. I really like competing. So, as simple as that,” Djokovic had told a news conference on Saturday. “And then, you know, I always have goals, you know, and to win another slam, to be No. 1 again, to finish the year as No. 1. Those are let’s say the big goals.”
Medvedev was booed off the court after remonstrating with the crowd during the match.
The crowd upset Medvedev in the 11th game of the second set, jeering him as he was about to serve after he had thrown his racket.
