Defeat ends Djokovic’s hopes of making ATP Finals
Novak Djokovic is out of the ATP Finals qualification race in Turin after a second-round defeat to qualifier Rinky Hijikata at the Paris Masters.
It means Djokovic, 39, has failed to qualify for the event only twice in the past 20 seasons when fit.
The Serb likely needed to reach the semi-finals in Paris to qualify, although the draw had opened up for him after two of his rivals fell earlier in the day.
Despite a good start, Djokovic was unable to repel Australian world number 83 Hijikata in a 2-6 6-3 6-3 defeat.
As Hijikata lifted his level at the end of the second set and throughout the decider, Djokovic, who looked laboured and physically strained, made a series of errors, ending his season.
Djokovic said his plan for the next few weeks is "just rest".
"I'm looking forward to it," he added.
"He was switched on, I wasn't serving as well and he was just playing out of his mind, honestly. He was not missing and keeping the ball low and just a terrific performance.
"He played really amazing tennis and it was my fault to let the control of the match go."
Despite reaching the final of the Australian Open and the semi-finals of Wimbledon, Djokovic has not reached the quarter-final in any of this year's Masters 1000 events.
He won the last of his 24 Grand Slam titles at the US Open in 2023.
Qualifying for Turin would have given him a chance to win a record-extending eighth title at the season-ending championships.
Instead, only Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul remain in contention to take the final two places currently held by Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar.
Djokovic had not failed to qualify when fit since 2017.
Tiafoe's chances were taken out of his hands earlier on Wednesday when he fell to a 6-3 1-6 7-6 (11-9) defeat by Frenchman Quentin Halys.
Australian Alex de Minaur then failed to take advantage as he lost 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. A run in Paris could have secured De Minaur's qualification.
Elsewhere, world number one Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, both of whom have already qualified for Turin, were also beaten.
Zverev said he was "annoyed" by the response to him becoming world number one after a straight-sets loss to Lorenzo Musetti, while Medvedev was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Peruvian world number 33 Ignacio Buse.
Fritz teetered on the brink of elimination but came through a decisive third-set tie-break to win 6-7 (6-8) 7-5 7-6 (7-5) against 78th-ranked Alex Molcan of Slovakia.
Earlier, Paul beat Spain's Daniel Merida 6-1 6-1, while Spain's Carlos Alcaraz - now the highest seed remaining - beat American Alex Michelsen 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
'Only going to get harder for Djokovic'
By
Tennis correspondent
After his triumph in Beijing, which ensured he would win at least one title for the 21st year in a row, Djokovic's season has rather fizzled out.
But playing four tournaments after the US Open, having previously admitted it is really only the Grand Slams which motivate him, suggests he is ready to tackle the 2027 season head-on.
Djokovic was a finalist at the Australian Open at the age of 38, but failed to reach the quarter-finals in eight of his eleven tournaments this year.
He reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, where he was outplayed by eventual champion Jannik Sinner, but fell in the third round of the French Open and the first round in New York.
That is a noticeable deterioration in his results - and it is only going to get harder, with his 40th birthday fast approaching in May.
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