Qualifier Rinky Hijikata fought back from a set down to beat Novak Djokovic and book a Paris Masters third-round spot.
Rinky Hijikata has pulled off the biggest win of his career. The Australian came from a set down to beat Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Paris Masters and ended the Serb's hopes of reaching the ATP Finals.
Djokovic took the opening set comfortably, and a routine win looked likely. Hijikata raised his level, though. He leveled the match in the second set and kept control through the decider on the fast indoor courts of the Plenitude Arena. The result sends him into the third round, and he got there after starting the tournament in qualifying.
The win puts Hijikata in rare company. He becomes only the fourth Australian to beat Djokovic, a list that has been hard to join over the Serb's long career. Hijikata also revealed afterward that he came close to not stepping on court at all, which makes the result even more remarkable.
Djokovic was gracious in defeat and praised the Australian for playing at an exceptional level. For Hijikata, the run keeps building momentum. For Djokovic, the chance to finish the season at the ATP Finals is gone.
