Grigor Dimitrov’s disappointment at just missing out on the Rolex Paris Masters title on Sunday was plain to see. Yet the Bulgarian’s courtside tears were not necessarily just a reaction to his championship-match defeat to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

“It’s difficult to explain emotions, I think,” said Dimitrov after Djokovic prevailed 6-4, 6-3 at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the French capital. “You want it. It’s tough when it doesn’t happen. Only I know, in a way, without feeling sorry for myself, what I’ve gone through the past months on and off the court.

“Those are happy tears. I don’t want to have them as something negative. I’m human, after all. At the end of the day, I think just the buildup, not only of the last two weeks, the last months of hard work and the big trip in China, everything has been kind of snowballing day after day, match after match.”

This moment 🥹@DjokerNole ❤️ @GrigorDimitrov @RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/LwEtUDO8w2

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 5, 2023

Dimitrov was appearing in his first Masters 1000 final for six years, and his biggest championship match since his 2017 triumph at the Nitto ATP Finals. The 32-year-old has now gone six years without lifting a trophy, but he can still reflect on 2023 as a year of undoubted resurgence.

“Of course, in the end I was so close to making something that I wanted to do for such a long time,” said Dimitrov who racked up 41 tour-level wins this year, his highest tally since 2017. “I don’t want to have this as a goal, just to win the tournament, but it was just more of my mental and physical way that I was dealing with and through these past months.

“I’m not ashamed of [the tears]. It just happened. I’m sad. Of course, I’m sad that I lost. It’s never fun when you lose in a final. I think for me now, I have some time to reflect and move on.”

Dimitrov produced some of the best tennis of his career to reach the final in Paris, where he took out seeded opponents Daniil Medvedev, Hubert Hurkacz and Stefanos Tsitsipas inside Accor Arena. Djokovic proved a step too far for the Bulgarian, however, as the World No. 1 delivered a typically solid display to seal a record-extending seventh title in Paris-Bercy.

“I think today, specifically today, his depth was amazing on the ball,” reflected Dimitrov, who has won just one of his 13 Lexus ATP Head2Head clashes with the Serbian. “Even if he was not feeling physically at his best, he was able to put me in a very uncomfortable position and made me work for every shot. I also think my serve today didn’t work at all.

“Overall I was a little bit flat. That’s also my summary of the match. But of course, Novak in the final is probably one of the biggest achievements you can have in our sport, to beat him… When it comes to those clutch matches, he’s always been able to maximise his game, even if it’s not at his best, but he’s been able to maximise and put you in uncomfortable situations.

“On that end today, I think he executed a lot of points and games in a very good way.”

With his Paris run, Dimitrov will rise three spots to No. 14 in Monday’s Pepperstone ATP Rankings. It will be his highest position since he fell out of the Top 10 in November 2018, and the former World No. 3 is ready to build on his recent progress when he returns for the 2024 season.

“I want to make sure I capitalise on those moments,” said Dimitrov, who also reached a final in Geneva in May before semi-final runs in Washington, Chengdu and Shanghai. “This week again in quite a few matches, things could have turned completely different for me, but I was able to stay. I was able to be very good mentally and physically, as well, even though I was struggling with quite a few things.

“So all in all, there are a lot of positives that I can take from that. At the same time, I need to look at some of the things that I can improve, some of the things that I can come back and maybe do better. I feel there are very small details that I’m sure, if I improve a little bit, can make a very big change in my game.

“Of course in tennis, everyone is so competitive. [There are] a lot of good players, a lot of good competitors. How everything else will happen, we don’t know, but the one thing I want to feel is at the end of the tournament, whether I win or lose, I want to make sure I’ve left everything I have out there.”

Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert won his first tour-level singles match in more than 20 months on Sunday when he defeated his #NextGenATP countryman Arthur Cazaux 7-6(7), 6-4 in the first round of the Moselle Open.

Herbert, who is competing in Metz for the first time since 2019, had not won a tour-level singles match since February 2022 in Marseille. He will next play second seed Alex de Minaur.

“It was a tough match today against a very good opponent. He had an amazing year, so I knew I had to play a great match to be able to win,” Herbert said in his on-court interview. “For me, this win is quite special because I’ve not been playing this tournament for almost [four] years.

“I’ve had some difficult times so really, really happy. And being able to share that moment with this box is just amazing.”

World No. 372 Herbert, who has climbed as high as No. 36 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, saved the two break points he faced and won 79 per cent of his first-serve points to advance after one hour and 53 minutes.

After a trio of three-set battles to reach the final at the Rolex Paris Masters, Novak Djokovic carved a more straightforward path to victory Sunday when he eased past Grigor Dimitrov to claim a record-extending seventh title at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Djokovic delivered a typically resilient all-around performance to clinch a 6-4, 6-3 triumph and become the first player to win 40 Masters 1000 crowns. The Serbian’s consistency from the baseline gave Dimitrov few opportunities to rouse the level he had shown en route to the championship match, and a single break in each set was enough for Djokovic to wrap a 98-minute victory.

“[It’s] incredible. To be able to win it after quite challenging circumstances for me this week,” said Djokovic. “Basically, coming back from the brink of losing three matches in a row, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I was very close to losing those matches and somehow managed to find an extra gear when it was needed.

“Today, I think we both were quite tight at the beginning, and I could see that he was running out of gas a little bit. Myself as well, but I somehow managed to find an extra shot over the net. I think the match was closer than the scoreline indicates, but another amazing win for me. I’m very proud of this one, considering what I’ve been through this week.”

Just his 𝟗𝟕𝐓𝐇 career title! 😮‍💨

🏆 @DjokerNole 🏆 @RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/HLZw3jHOrE

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 5, 2023

The win means World No. 1 Djokovic will now head to the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals on an 18-match winning streak, dating back to his Wimbledon final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz. By lifting the Paris trophy, Djokovic extended his lead over the Spaniard in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin to 1490 points, making it highly likely he will claim the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone honour for a record-extending eighth time.

A tearful Dimitrov could not initially hide his disappointment after just falling short of his second Masters 1000 crown, and his first tour-level title since the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals. Djokovic took time to console the Bulgarian in his chair.

“I’ve been in these situations before many times, losing finals,” said Djokovic, when asked what he had said to the Bulgarian. “I’ve of course been blessed to win more finals than I’ve lost, and I really hope that he will continue to play at a high level. He’s been playing some of his best tennis this week, and I wish him all the best. I hope he can win big events.”

Dimitrov later reflected positively on his thrilling run to the final during the trophy ceremony: “I just wanted to say how grateful I am for this amazing week. It’s been such a rollercoaster the past three months for me. Getting to the final of this tournament means so much more than you guys can imagine. But also, it would not have been possible without you throughout the week [and your] support.”

After sealing his 10th straight tour-level win against Dimitrov, Djokovic now leads the Bulgarian 12-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Although the Bulgarian entered the match having played some of the best tennis of his career this week to down seeded opponents Daniil Medvedev, Hubert Hurkacz and Stefanos Tsitsipas, he never looked like reproducing those heroics in Sunday’s final.

Djokovic pulled away from the Bulgarian following a cagey start to take the first set inside Accor Arena. The Serbian won 88 per cent (15/17) of points behind his first serve in a largely solid first-set display, and that dominance behind his delivery allowed Djokovic to hit freely on return. He clinched a decisive break in the seventh game as Dimitrov, who made a costly 19 unforced errors in the set, struggled to match the 36-year-old’s consistency from the baseline.

Although Dimitrov had forced Djokovic to Deuce in the final game of the first set, that was as close as the Bulgarian came to a breakthrough on return. Djokovic struck a decisive blow when he converted his first break point of the second set to move 3-2 ahead, and the Serbian did not flinch as he secured his 50th career win in Paris-Bercy having hit 15 winners, including six aces.

Novak Djokovic continues to rewrite the record books, extending his sizable ‘Big Titles’ advantage by winning the Rolex Paris Masters on Sunday.

By defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the Paris-Bercy final, the Serbian claimed his 40th ATP Masters 1000 trophy, becoming the first player to reach that milestone.

Djokovic has now won 70 ‘Big Titles’, which is a combination of Grand Slam championships, trophies at the Nitto ATP Finals and ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, and Olympic singles gold medals. 

Djokovic has won one ‘Big Title’ for every 3.1 events played (70/217). Only three other players have claimed ‘Big Titles’ at a rate better than one for every five events played: Nadal (1/3.5), Federer (1/4.4) and Pete Sampras (1/4.9).

The 36-year-old has won the Rolex Paris Masters seven times, also a record. Having also emerged victorious in Cincinnati this year, he has earned multiple Masters 1000 titles in 12 seasons during his career.

Djokovic is tied for the most titles on the ATP Tour this season with six (also Carlos Alcaraz) according to Infosys ATP Stats. The 97-time tour-level titlist is three triumphs away from becoming the third player on record to reach 100 titles (Jimmy Connors, 109 and Federer, 103). 

Current and Former Champions’ Big Titles Won (Records Since 1990)

^ Includes Olympic Games gold medals and tournament participations
* Becker’s four other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
** Edberg’s three other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
*** Chang’s one Grand Slam title came before 1990

Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin extended their late-season winning streak to eight on Sunday to clinch the title at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The seventh-seeded duo defeated Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 6-2, 5-7, 10-7 to lift the trophy at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the French capital. Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin converted both break points they earned to claim victory, holding firm after dropping their first set of the week in the championship match in Paris.

“The set we lost, it’s totally my fault. I did a pretty bad game in the second set, but Santi helped a lot at the changeover,” said home favourite Roger-Vasselin. “[He said] ‘It’s OK, we’re just going to fight every point and enjoy the crowd’. For me it’s super special to win here in Paris, so I’m really thankful to Santi. He played amazing all week, and I’m really happy to win this trophy here.”

The franchise players ⭐️⭐️

The moment @gonzalezsanty & @ERogerVasselin locked up the doubles title in Paris, defeating Bopanna/Ebden 6-2, 5-7, 10-7!@RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/e5lP9GGm0w

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 5, 2023

Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin, who also lifted the trophy in Basel a week ago, defeated the second, third and fourth-seeded pairs en route to their second Masters 1000 crown of the year. The duo has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where the pair will enter the prestigious season finale on a high.

“The last two weeks were amazing, ending the year like this and now going to Turin with confidence,” said Gonzalez. “We are happy to win our second Masters title of this year, so we are very pleased about it and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin are now 51-21 in their first full season together on the ATP Tour. They became champions in Marseille, Miami and Los Cabos prior to their Basel and Paris triumphs, and will enter Turin in fourth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.

The final ATP 250 action of 2023 takes place in Metz and Sofia, where a host of top stars line up at a pair of indoor hard-court events.

Alex de Minaur leads the field at the Moselle Open in Metz, where Karen Khachanov and Stan Wawrinka also feature in the draw. At the Sofia Open, Lorenzo Musetti, Adrian Mannarino and Jan-Lennard Struff are among the Top 30 players eyeing a successful end to the year.

ATPTour.com looks ahead at five things to watch at each event.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN METZ
1) De Minaur Headlines Draw: Although his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes were ended by quarter-final defeat at the Rolex Paris Masters, De Minaur will aim to cap a strong year with a deep run in Metz. The Australian, who lifted the biggest title of his career in Acapulco in March, will take on one of two home wild cards first up — Pierre-Hugues Herbert or #NextGenATP Arthur Cazaux.

2) Humbert Leads Home Hopes: Five other Frenchmen (not including qualifiers/lucky losers) join Herbert and Cazaux in the Metz field. They are led by fourth seed Ugo Humbert, who is chasing his first match win at the event since 2018. Like his countryman Cazaux, Luca Van Assche is in contention to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals, and the 19-year-old will make his main-draw debut in Metz against Botic van de Zandschulp.

3) Khachanov, Bublik Seeded: Both Khachanov and Alexander Bublik have spent time in the ATP Tour winners’ circle this year. Seeded third in Metz, the Zhuhai winner Khachanov arrives fresh from a quarter-final run in Paris. Halle and Antwerp champion Bublik is the fifth seed.

4) Wawrinka, Thiem Eye Trophy: A pair of former World No. 3s seek a return to their title-winning ways in Metz. Both Wawrinka (Umag) and Dominic Thiem (Kitzbühel) have reached tour-level finals this year — can either player go all the way this week in north-eastern France?

5) Sonego Defends Crown: A year ago, Lorenzo Sonego charged to his third ATP Tour crown in Metz without dropping a set all week. The Italian is 6-5 at indoor events this year, but will hope that fond memories of the Moselle Open can help him rediscover his best form under the Metz roof.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN SOFIA
1) Musetti Top Seed: Lorenzo Musetti has enjoyed another solid year, racking up a 32-27 record and reaching at least the quarter-finals at nine ATP Tour events. The Italian will look to add a third ATP Tour trophy to his collection as the top seed in Sofia, where he reached the semi-finals in 2022.

2) Mannarino On The March: Adrian Mannarino has notched a personal-best 39 tour-level wins this season, a tally that includes title runs in Newport and Astana. The 35-year-old Frenchman will hope to hit 40 and beyond this week in Bulgaria, where he made the last four in 2020 before falling to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.

3) Can Top 30 Stars Claim Late-Season Boost?: Jan-Lennard Struff came within one point of claiming his maiden ATP Tour title in Stuttgart in July. The German has one more chance this year to break his trophy duck when he lines up as the third seed in Sofia. After adding the Cordoba, Kitzbühel and Winston-Salem crowns to his collection in 2023, Sebastian Baez is now a four-time tour-level champion. Can the Argentine make it five in Bulgaria?

4) Former Champion Bautista Agut: After missing nearly three months due to injury from July to October, Roberto Bautista Agut made his return to ATP Tour action in Stockholm three weeks ago. The Spaniard is the only former champion in the field in Sofia, where he claimed the fourth of his 11 tour-level crowns in 2016.

5) Gille/Vliegen Lead Doubles Field: Belgian duo Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen chase their third ATP Tour title of the season as the top seeds in Sofia. Despite narrowly missing out on a Nitto ATP Finals spot, second seeds Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow have also enjoyed a stellar year, lifting four ATP 250 titles together.

Grigor Dimitrov has the chance to end a rock-solid year in spectacular fashion at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The Bulgarian has been the model of consistency in 2023, racking up a 41-20 record and reaching one tour-level championship match and four other semi-finals. Although the 32-year-old Dimitrov’s wait for his ninth ATP Tour title has now gone on for nearly six years, he is determined to be proactive in trying to change that in Paris-Bercy as he takes on Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final at the ATP Masters 1000. (Watch live from 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET)

“I think for me where I’m at right now, things in a way, they’re going my way, but also I’m looking for them as well,” said Dimitrov after he overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas in Saturday’s semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event. “I’m not waiting for my opponent to do something with it or I’m not waiting for them to miss.

“I want to win or lose on my own terms… I can control my attitude, and I don’t want to feel sorry for myself for the past years. I don’t want to feel like I have missed opportunities. Have I? Yeah, of course, too many, if you ask me. Have I made mistakes? Yes, too many.

“There comes a point where it’s like, okay, I’m accepting all that had been thrown at me, what I had to face, and I continue. I get to have another chance. So when you get that chance, try to use it. So I’m trying to give myself a chance.”

Djokovic enters Sunday’s match on a 17-match winning streak and with an 11-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead against Dimitrov. Two of those victories came in Paris-Bercy (2016, 2019), where the Serbian is chasing a record-extending seventh title and his sixth tour-level crown of 2023. The 36-year-old has been tested this week in France, however, both by his opponents and a stomach virus that has left him feeling under the weather.

“[I have been] going through quite a difficult stomach virus that really made me feel terrible the past three days, but somehow [managed] to find strength, find energy under the adrenaline rush of playing a match,” said Djokovic, who battled past Tallon Griekspoor, Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev all in three sets to book his spot in the final. “Not giving up, fighting and believing that I can come back, which happened again and hopefully it can happen tomorrow.”

Djokovic would become the first player to win 40 Masters 1000 titles by extending his winning streak against Dimitrov to 10 on Sunday afternoon in Paris, where he tasted defeat in the 2022 final against Rune. It would also increase his Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin lead over Carlos Alcaraz to 1490 points and make it highly likely he will claim the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone honour for the a record-extending eighth time.

Beating Djokovic in Bercy therefore represents a daunting task for Dimitrov, who lifted his sole Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati in 2017, the same year as his Nitto ATP Finals triumph. He has already upsets seeded opponents Daniil Medvedev, Hubert Hurkacz and Tsitsipas this week, however, and the Bulgarian may feel he has little to lose as he looks for his eighth, and arguably most important, Top 10 win of the year.

“It means a lot to me for so many different reasons,” said Dimitrov of his Paris run. “I don’t take this very lightly… I appreciate it a lot because I know how difficult it has been for me, certain tournaments and months throughout the year. So I guess this came at the right time.

“I don’t know what to say. I think getting to this final means a lot more to me than some, I think even some moments, some big moments in my career. Right now I’m just staying in the moment. I have one more match to play. I’m going to give it all. What’s going to happen, I don’t know. But I’d say this week means, from a very different perspective, a lot.”