"I should’ve won this match" - Novak Djokovic not chasing excuses for 'disappointing' abrupt season-ender in Paris

While there have been glimmering moments of brilliance, Novak Djokovic's 2026 season has been dominated by early exits. It is the first year since 2010 that he has not reached a Masters 1000 final, having been stunned 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 by Aussie qualifier Rinky Hijikata in the second round of the Paris Masters. The seven-time champion was in the belief that he should have won that match while admitting that he was not in the best condition for the contest.

Djokovic's season has come to an end with a whimper. This was not what he needed with his ATP Finals hopes now in the bin. With the likes of Frances Tiafoe, Rafael Jodar and Alex de Minaur crashing out in the same round, his pathway was made a lot easier.

The draw replicated that as well. If he were to beat Hijikata, then de Minaur would not be his next round opponent but instead Tomas Martin Etcheverry. A much easier draw on paper despite his great form over the Aussie No.1

However, to have set that tie up, he would have needed to defeat Hijikata, and that did not occur. Djokovic crashed out of the Paris Masters and is now out of contention for featuring in Turin.

After getting the better of Valentin Vacherot in three sets, Djokovic was confident of replicating that result. He was dominant in the first set, having points to win every game as his opponent failed to settle. Hijikata was a lot better in the second set, leaving Djokovic extremely frustrated at times as he harrassed the 24-time Grand Slam champion into mistakes.

Soon enough, a decider was forced and Djokovic was on the back foot. The momentum was on the other side of the court, and he could not reverse this change of fortunes. Hijikata won the final four games while conceding just six points in that electric burst to cause a seismic upset and make the third round on debut.

He was sombre afterwards when speaking to reporters in the French capital. “Disappointment, obviously, losing a match that I felt like I was dominating for a set and a few games,” Djokovic said. “Then he was switched on. I wasn’t serving as well in the second set. He was just playing out of his mind, honestly. He was not missing, keeping the ball low. It was a terrific performance."

The 39-year-old was adamant that he should have seen it out after that first set performance. “Nobody loves losing. It’s just another match, but I should’ve won this match. I played well in the first set and then completely lost control.”

Being the age he is, fitness concerns and queries are always going to be common. Djokovic has done extremely well to get to the point of his career that he has done, but the signs are evident that he struggling more on court. He did not put that down as an excuse. “Not the freshest, but it’s not an excuse for the loss."

That is it for Djokovic in 2026. It began so well with that Australian Open final run, with so much hope coming from that five-set thriller against Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. However, he could not portray that form in other settings.

He would not reach another semi-final, or even quarter-final, until Wimbledon, where Sinner got his revenge. Opening round defeats in Cincinnati and US Open proved costly when looking at the ATP Finals tally, in which Djokovic was committed to competing in. At Flushing Meadows, it was also the first time in over two decades that he exited a Grand Slam event in the first round.

A seventh China Open title with some huge wins proved that he was still very much capable of defeating the best. He has played five matches since in three tournaments and won just two of them. He is officially out of contention for Turin, with his rivals breathing in a deep sigh of relief.

He finishes with a 21-10 win-loss record. It is the least number of wins in a calendar year on the ATP Tour since 2005 and also the first time since that season he failed to break the 30 mark. He won just three matches at Masters 1000 level, suffered two early Grand Slam exits with that elusive 25th major title still evading him, and failed to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time since 2017, and that year was due to injury.

Djokovic will return to the ATP Tour in January ready for the 2027 season, but it is obvious that time is running out. He will turn 40 next May, and is in desperate need of turning his form around sooner rather than later.