Paris (France) (AFP) - Novak Djokovic battled from behind to beat Valentin Vacherot 6-7 (⁵⁄₇), 7-5, 6-1 in the first round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday.

For the 24-time Grand Slam winner, it marked a return to winning ways at ATP 1000-level tournaments for the first time since his run to the fourth round at Indian Wells back in March.

Djokovic also enacted his own bit of revenge on Vacherot in just the second meeting between the pair – the Monegasque downed the 39-year-old on his way to a sensational Shanghai Masters title last season.

“I knew that coming into the court it was going to be a very tight match as it was,” Djokovic told reporters.

“He’s very confident and he’s one of the best servers we have in the game,” he added of Vacherot, who lifted the second title of his career last week in Basel.

Victory also kept alive Djokovic’s chances of landing a spot in the season-ending ATP Finals later in November.

Djokovic is currently 11th in the race to the eight-man tournament in Turin.

However, he insisted his main focus was not the ATP Finals but “to win every match” on his return to the Paris Masters.

In his last appearance at the tournament in 2023, he lifted the trophy for the seventh time.

In an even opening frame, Vacherot got his nose in front at the end of an error-strewn first-set tie-break as he put together a run of four points to take the lead.

After going down a break early in the second set, Djokovic called for a medical timeout during which he received a massage on his right shoulder.

The short stoppage seemed to break Vacherot’s concentration as he dropped his serve straight away.

On Djokovic’s second break point, the 27-year-old completely misjudged a routine return from his opponent and could only watch in disbelief as the ball bounced on the line right in front of him.

Vacherot then received treatment for a foot issue and soon found himself level at one set each as Djokovic displayed his trademark killer instinct to seize his first break opportunity in the 12th game of the set and send the match to a decider.

The 10th seed ground down Vacherot in his first service game to get his nose in front before then running away with the match.

He will next meet Rinky Hijikata in the second round.

- Rune out -

Holger Rune, who defeated Djokovic in the 2022 final, exited at the first hurdle in this edition as he continues his return from injury.

The Dane lost 7-5, 6-4 to Tommy Paul.

Former world number five Andrey Rublev lost in a third-set tie-break to Tomas Martin Etcheverry, while 15th seed Learner Tien fought past lucky loser Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in a three-setter.

Matteo Berrettini edged out 14th seed Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (¹⁰⁄₈).

Rising French star Moise Kouame was unable to recreate his Roland Garros heroics as the 17-year-old went down 6-3, 6-1 to lucky loser Nuno Borges.

But it was better news for 46th-ranked home player Quentin Halys, who eliminated Wimbledon semi-finalist Arthur Fery in straight sets.

French world number 68 Arthur Rinderknech – Vacherot’s cousin – progressed through to the next stage, after Argentine 16th seed Francisco Cerundolo retired early in the third set of their encounter.

Later, the second round gets underway as US Open finalist and third seed Ben Shelton opens his campaign in Paris against Cameron Norrie, before 20-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar tests his mettle against former world number two Casper Ruud.