Novak Djokovic is set to make his return on tour after a month. He will be playing at the Paris Masters, which will start from 30th October. Djokovic was last seen on the court at the Davis Cup, where he played one match in singles and doubles. Along with facing his rivals at the Paris Masters, Djokovic will also meet his former coach, Boris Becker, in the event.
Becker had coached Djokovic from 2013 to 2016. The pair had a successful campaign together. Now, the former player is coaching Holger Rune. The Serbian still maintains his friendship with Becker. Djokovic said, “If I face Holger, seeing Becker in the opposite box, because that hasn’t happened yet. If it does, obviously that’s not a great feeling.” Djokovic is projected to face Rune in the quarterfinals in Paris.
“Boris is a dear friend, so I’m really glad to see him back on the Tour as a coach. It’s not gonna be nice and confortable for me to have him in the opposite box, if I play Holger. But I love him and his family a lot.” Djokovic on Rune&Becker. 4/4 pic.twitter.com/jLeCODa1JE
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) October 28, 2023
While Djokovic is on a break from the tour, Rune lost in the semifinals at the ongoing Basel Open. The 20-year-old won two consecutive matches at the event for the first time since Wimbledon. The Paris Masters will see the top players take as many points as possible to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. Rune is yet to qualify for the season-ending championship.
Novak Djokovic and Holger Rune look to achieve milestones at Paris Masters
The final Masters 1000 of the 2023 season will be held in Paris. Djokovic is the most successful player at the event, with six titles and 45 wins. The Serbian will be making his 17th appearance in Paris and needs five wins to complete 50 wins in the tournament. Djokovic will need to play better than Carlos Alcaraz to keep his ranking secured, as he is defending 600 points in Paris.
Alcaraz currently trails Djokovic by 500 points. Taking rankings points into perspective, there are only three spots left at the Nitto ATP Finals. Rune had a chance to move to the seventh position but could not seal the deal at Basel. The defending Paris Masters champion needs to repeat his last year’s success to confirm a place at Turin.
Rune made his debut in Paris last year and only dropped two sets on his way to the title. He became the first player on the ATP tour to defeat five top ten players while winning the title. The world No.6 aims to be the second man after Djokovic to win consecutive titles in Paris. The world No.1 looks like the favorite to take the title for a record-extending seventh time.