Novak Djokovic fends off Valentin Vacherot at Paris Masters

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PARIS -- Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic overcame a scare late in the second set to beat big-serving Valentin Vacherot 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 in the first round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner is chasing a 103rd career title, which would tie him for second in the Open era with Roger Federer behind Jimmy Connors (109).

Serving at 4-4 in the second set, the 10th-seeded Djokovic needed to save three break points to prevent Vacherot -- who won the Swiss Indoors on Sunday and beat Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters semifinals last year -- from serving for the match at the indoor tournament.

"His second serves are faster than my first serves, so it's very tough to play a guy in these conditions, which are really, really fast," Djokovic said. "Last year was very slow, this year is like ice."

After breaking Vacherot to level the match, Djokovic broke him at the start of the deciding set to seize momentum. Djokovic won on his second match point with a two-handed backhand winner down the line from the back of the court.

Both players took a medical timeout during the second set, with Djokovic having some massage on his right shoulder and Vacherot having his left ankle strapped.

Djokovic is chasing a spot in the Nov. 15-22 ATP Finals, but is an outsider at 11th in the race. He needs a strong showing with only an ATP250 event remaining in Stockholm after Paris.

No. 11-seeded Taylor Fritz , who is one place below Djokovic, won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Benjamin Bonzi .

In other first-round matches Tuesday, French teenager Moise Kouame lost 6-3, 6-1 to Nuno Borges , and 2022 champion Holger Rune lost 7-5, 6-4 to No. 12-seeded Tommy Paul .