Paris Masters 2026 Draw: Zverev Top Seed, Djokovic Faces Vacherot
The last Masters 1000 of the season opens its main draw on Monday in Paris, with defending champion Jannik Sinner out injured and the final places at the ATP Finals still on the line.
Key points
- The Rolex Paris Masters, the last Masters 1000 tournament of the season, opens its main draw on Monday, November 2, at Paris La Defense Arena, and the draw has a clear shape.
- Qualifying runs through Sunday, November 1.
- Defending champion Jannik Sinner has ended his season with a right knee injury and will not defend his title, so Paris will crown a new champion.
The Rolex Paris Masters, the last Masters 1000 tournament of the season, opens its main draw on Monday, November 2, at Paris La Defense Arena, and the draw has a clear shape. Alexander Zverev, the new world number one, is the top seed. Carlos Alcaraz is the second seed. The two sit at opposite ends of the 56 player draw, so they can meet only in the final, scheduled for Sunday, November 8.
Qualifying runs through Sunday, November 1. The top eight seeds receive first round byes, which means the biggest names start later in the week.
Sinner out, a new champion certain
Defending champion Jannik Sinner has ended his season with a right knee injury and will not defend his title, so Paris will crown a new champion. Last year's runner up, Felix Auger-Aliassime, is also out. Zverev won this tournament in 2024 and arrives with the number one ranking after a season that brought him the Roland-Garros and US Open titles.
For Alcaraz, Paris is the one big indoor title missing from his record. His best result at this tournament is a quarter final. He is expected to open against Alex Michelsen or Jiri Lehecka, likely on Thursday.
Djokovic opens against Vacherot
Novak Djokovic, a seven time champion in Paris, is seeded tenth this year, outside the group that receives a bye. He opens against Valentin Vacherot on Monday, November 2, or Tuesday, November 3. It is the toughest first match any big name has drawn, against a home player with nothing to lose.
The race to Turin runs through Paris
Paris is also the last stop before the ATP Finals in Turin, which run from November 15 to 22. Zverev, Alcaraz, Ben Shelton and Daniil Medvedev have already secured their places. The remaining spots are expected to be settled in Paris this week, and the 1,000 ranking points on offer to the champion are enough to reorder the race in a single run.
That mix is why this tournament draws search interest before a ball is hit in the main draw. Fans are looking up the draw, the order of play and the Turin maths at the same time. The answers start arriving on Monday, when Djokovic plays his opener and the first of the chasing pack put their Turin hopes on the court.