Novak Djokovic faced new doubles opponents after Wawrinka and Sinner withdrew from event at 2023 Paris Masters

Novak Djokovic faced new opponents in doubles after Stan Wawrinka and Jannik Sinner withdrew from the event at the 2023 Paris Masters.

The World No. 1 in singles paired up with his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in the doubles event while also aiming for the singles title at the last ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year.

The pair were scheduled to take to the court at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris against singles World No. 4 Sinner and three-time Grand Slam singles champion Wawrinka.

However, the much-anticipated doubles clash was over before it began after Wawrinka lost an exhausting match against 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem in the opening round of the singles event.

The match finished at 2:21 AM local time, meaning that Wawrinka probably did not return to his hotel room until around 3 or 4 AM, putting him in no fit state to play doubles today, October 31.

Instead, Djokovic and Kecmanovic played against Aleksandr Nedovyesov and Gonzalo Escobar, winning the clash 6-4, 6-2. They will play third seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden in the second round. 

Djokovic will begin his campaign in the singles tomorrow, November 1, against Argentine player Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who defeated Kecmanovic in the Round of 64. Meanwhile, Sinner will face Mackenzie McDonald in his opening match at the tournament.