Novak Djokovic surpasses Rafael Nadal in number of matches played during Paris Masters 2023

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic surpassed the 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal in the total number of professional matches played, after his second-round victory at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

Djokovic defeated the Argentine tennis star Tomas Martin Etcheverry with a score of 6-3, 6-2, securing his spot in the third round of the Rolex Paris Masters.

The 36-year-old, who turned pro in 2003, has gone on to win 24 Grand Slam singles titles and has played 1289 matches over the course of his 21-year career, surpassing Rafael Nadal's 1288. This season, Nadal has played only 9 games, missing three out of four Grand Slams due to injury. He underwent surgery in June and is aiming to be back for the 2024 season.

At the top of the list of tennis players with the most matches played is former American tennis star Jimmy Connors with 1557 matches. Jimmy Connors also holds the record for the highest number of singles titles in the Open Era with 109 titles. Behind Jimmy Connors is the Swiss tennis maestro and 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer. He retired in 2022 having played 1526 matches. Former Czech-American tennis star and Andy Murray's coach Ivan Lendl sits third on the list with 1310 matches.

Novak Djokovic is set to face Tallon Griekspoor in the round of 16 of the Paris Masters

France Tennis Paris Masters: Novak Djokovic

Following his victory over Etcheverry, Novak Djokovic will now face the 27-year-old Dutch tennis player, Tallon Griekspoor, in the round of 16 of the Paris Masters on Thursday, November 2.

This season, Novak Djokovic has clinched 5 titles, which include the Roland Garros, the Australian Open, and most notably the US Open, tying him with Margaret Court at 24 Grand Slam singles titles. He also won in Adelaide and Cincinnati.

In contrast, Tallon Griekspoor is experiencing a remarkable season, achieving a career-high ATP ranking of 23. He secured his first ATP Tour singles title at the 2023 Tata Open Maharashtra by defeating Benjamin Bonzi 4–6, 7–5, 6–3.

At the Australian Open, Griekspoor reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career but was defeated by third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eventually reached the final. During the Citi Open, Griekspoor secured a significant victory in the semi-finals over American tennis player Taylor Fritz, marking his first career win against a top-10 opponent. He then faced Dan Evans but was defeated 7-5, 6-3 in his third final of 2023.