Djokovic title defence a game of numbers

Novak Djokovic turned in a near-flawless performance on a rainy Thursday to crush Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-1 for a place in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters.

Bucketing rain outside made fan queueing a misery as the defending champion kept up the pace to a possible seventh trophy here.

The 35-year-old won his 11th straight ATP match and also his 11th in a row here at the Bercy arena. 

The Serb needed just 87 minutes to advance past  the only man to defeat him in a final here (2018).

Since then Djokovic has won 18 tour-level titles while  Khachanov has yet to taste another victory.

The sixth seed posted 17 winners to 11 for his opponent, breaking Khachanov four times.

His lone hiccup came when he lost an early break in the opening set, merely a minor irritation for the 21-time Grand Slam winner.

Djokovic is working towards his seventh Bercy title and a record-extending 39th Masters 1000 trophy.

He next tackles breakthrough Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who upset third seed Casper Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.