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Djokovic loses to Khachanov in stunning upset

November 4, 2018

In his first ever Masters final, 22-year-old Russian Karen Khachanov managed a shocking victory against Serb Novak Djokovic in Paris. Djokovic is still set to reclaim his ranking as the world's best tennis player.

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Tennis | ATP 1000 Paris Masters | Khachanov
The 22-year-old Khachanov is considered a rising star in the tennis worldImage: Reuters/G. Fuentes

Russian Karen Khachanov defeated Novak Djokovic with 7-5, 6-4 in Paris Masters final on Sunday, breaking the Serb's 22-match win streak.

The Sunday showdown was Khachanov's first ever Masters final. The 22-year-old Russian tennis player praised his opponent after the triumph.

"He is an inspiration to many players and he is a true champion of our sport," Khachanov said of Djokovic, adding that the victory in Paris was "like a dream come true."

In turn, Djokovic also praised the 1.98 meter (6 feet 6 inches) Khachanov for his "really strong and precise" serve.

"He was playing big from the back of the court, flat backhands and forehand," Djokovic said. "He can really hurt you."

Tennis | ATP 1000 Paris Masters | Khachanov und Djokovic
Khachanov congratulated Djokovic on his return to the top of the tableImage: Reuters/G. Fuentes

Djokovic to return to the top

The 31-year-old Novak Djokovic appeared to tire early into the one hour and 37-minute match, following his three-hour battle against Roger Federer on the day before. However, the Serb superstar avoided a question about the effects of exhaustion on his Sunday game.

"I want to talk about how well (Khachanov) played all week and absolutely deserved to win today," Djokovic told reporters. "So, all the credit to him."

Read more: Novak Djokovic defeats Rafael Nadal to make fifth Wimbledon final

The relatively unknown Khachanov is currently ranked the world's 18th best tennis player, but is expected to rise to number 12 or 11 when the new ATP tallies are published on Monday.

Djokovic is set to reclaim the top of the list due to his victory over Roger Federer, currently ranked third by the ATP, and Rafael Nadal's decision to pull out of the Paris tournament due to an abdominal injury. The Serb managed to reclaim the top position following an unexpected drop in form two years ago.

dj/rc (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)