Djokovic def. Sousa in two sets at Paris Masters

PARIS – Novak Djokovic began his bid for a fifth-ever Paris Masters record with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Joao Sousa in the second round on Tuesday, and lent a helping hand to a spectator.

Djokovic, serving for the match at 5-1, handed a briefcase to a man in the crowd who seemed uncomfortable and who had wiped his forehead.

"It seemed like he was sweating and that he was dizzy, so he just needed help," Djokovic said. "I just gave him the towel."

Djokovic also revealed that he did not feel very good on the pitch.

"I was not there," he says. "I do not want to go into details but I think it's a minor thing."

The Serb ranked second with an ace and a sealed victory over his third point when Sousa performed a long serve.

The US Open champion has won four of the last five tournaments in which he has competed, including Wimbledon, the American Open and more recently the Shanghai Masters.

Djokovic is looking to get the best Rafael Nadal ranking in a tournament that Nadal has never won. Djokovic then faces Damir Dzumhur.

Marin Cilic, fifth seeded, second in the Australian Open, won his second round match 6-3, 6-4 against Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.

Dzumhur beat Stefanos Tsitsipas, 14th seed, 6-3, 6-3, while Karen Khachanov of Russia, a great hitter, also qualified for the third round. He led 6-2, 2-0 against Matthew Ebden when the Australian retired.

Back from a right knee injury, Nadal will face Spanish compatriot Fernando Verdasco on Wednesday, with Roger Federer, 20-time Grand Slam champion, also in the second round against Milos Raonic. Federer leads the overall 11-3 Canadian standings.

Federer's last appearance at the Paris Indoor was a third-round defeat against the big player John Isner in 2015. There was doubt that Federer would play after a grueling week that saw him win his ninth victory at the Swiss Indoors and his 99th overall.

"I feel good," Federer said at a press conference. "I have the impression of having recovered well from last week."

Federer, 37, chose the moment he played to keep his body as fresh as possible and jumped all season on clay for the second year in a row.

The final of the ATP season in London starting November 11, he will play three consecutive tournaments. But Federer, third, feels comfortable with that.

"I think it's better for me to play games than to coach," Federer said. "As long as I do not feel like taking a risk for my health before London, that's also the key."

Federer showed fighting skills last week in Basel, where he was worn twice in three sets and collapsed early in three of his last four games.

"I was a little bumpy, but I was happy to know how I was fighting, how I was trying to understand it in a different way," he said. "Last week, it was special to win as I had done, in a different way.

Federer is among the top 10 singles record of all time with Jimmy Connors. He is cautious about his chances of success in Paris, where his only tournament victory was won in 2011.

The champion of the Australian Open is drawn in the same half as Djokovic; Cilic and the great player Kevin Anderson, who upset Federer in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon this year.

"I rarely play two or three tournaments in a row, so it's very difficult to win five games in a row with this caliber of players on Wednesday," said Federer. "If I get closer to the last four, it would be great too."