Novak Djokovic, a four-time champion at the Shanghai Masters, will be participating in one of his favorite Masters 1000 tournaments for the first time in five years! With an impressive record of 34 victories out of 39 matches and four titles under his belt, Novak is the most accomplished player in the history of the Shanghai event. He has only missed two editions of the tournament between 2009 and 2019.
After a five-year absence, the Serbian superstar will have the opportunity to showcase his skills in front of his Chinese fans in October. His goal is to claim his fifth championship at the Qi Zhong Stadium. Djokovic will arrive in Shanghai as the reigning Olympic Games singles champion, having secured a long-awaited gold medal in the final against Carlos Alcaraz.
Currently ranked world number two, behind Jannik Sinner, Djokovic faces the challenge of defending 3000 ATP points in Cincinnati and New York to remain competitive against his younger rivals. Nevertheless, Novak has already achieved his dream of winning the Paris Olympics and can now compete without feeling the pressure for the remainder of the season.
In the upcoming tournaments, Djokovic will be vying for his 100th ATP title, and there is a chance that he may achieve this milestone in Shanghai, a city where he has experienced great success in the past. In his first two appearances at the Shanghai Masters, Djokovic reached the semifinals but was unable to progress further, losing to Nikolay Davydenko and Roger Federer, respectively.
However, in 2012, Novak triumphed in an epic final against Andy Murray, saving five match points to lift his first Shanghai Masters trophy. He successfully defended his title in 2013, defeating Juan Martin del Potro in the final before falling to Roger Federer in the semifinals the following year.
In 2015, Djokovic displayed dominance by not dropping a single set en route to his third Shanghai title. The following year, he reached his seventh consecutive semifinal at the tournament, but was defeated by Roberto Bautista Agut. Djokovic chose to skip the Shanghai Masters in 2017.
Returning in 2018, Djokovic showcased his prowess by defeating five opponents in straight sets and securing his fourth Shanghai Masters crown. In the semifinals, he recorded his 1000th ATP match win by overpowering Alexander Zverev, setting up a title clash with Borna Coric. Djokovic emerged victorious with a 6-3, 6-4 win in an hour and 36 minutes, claiming his 32nd Masters 1000 title and maintaining an impressive 39-4 record since May.
In his 400th Masters 1000 match, Djokovic controlled the tempo of the game against Coric, dominating from the baseline. Coric, who had defeated Federer in the semifinals, was unable to replicate that success against an in-form Djokovic. Novak lost just nine points on his serve and successfully defended the only break point he faced. Coric struggled under pressure, losing 40% of the points and getting broken once in each set.
Throughout the match, Djokovic hit 18 winners and made 17 unforced errors, while Coric committed 38 unforced errors. Djokovic had the upper hand in shorter rallies, winning the majority of points that lasted up to four strokes, as well as in mid-range exchanges, where he claimed 27 out of 40 points.
In 2019, Djokovic aimed to capture his fifth Shanghai title. He defeated Denis Shapovalov and John Isner to reach the quarterfinals, where he faced Stefanos Tsitsipas. Unfortunately, Djokovic suffered a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 defeat in a match that lasted two hours and two minutes, failing to advance to the semifinals of the tournament for the first time.
Stefanos eliminated Novak for the second time in three meetings, elevating his performance from the middle of the first set and progressing into his fourth Masters 1000 semi-final. The young Greek only faced one break point, losing the initial set before securing two breaks in sets two and three on his way to a significant victory after an intense battle. Tsitsipas hit 34 winners and 22 serves that couldn’t be returned, with Djokovic matching that pace. The Greek managed to gain two more points, triumphing in crucial moments and emerging victorious. Stefanos took the initiative with his shots and outperformed Novak in rallies of varying lengths to seal the deal. Both players won six points on the return in the first set. Djokovic made the decisive move with an early break in the second game following Tsitsipas’ backhand error. The Serb served effectively in the initial games, establishing a 3-0 lead in just seven minutes. Stefanos maintained a strong service game for the remainder of the match, keeping the pressure on the four-time champion. Novak survived the seventh game and concluded the set with a hold in the ninth game after a successful serve, moving closer to another Shanghai Masters semi-final. The Greek served well in the second set, only dropping nine points in six games and patiently waiting for an opportunity on the return.
Djokovic matched his opponent’s pace until the 12th game, when he served to stay in the set for the second time. Under pressure, Djokovic faltered and made a forehand error, losing his serve and allowing Tsitsipas to claim the set 7-5 and gain momentum. Stefanos dictated the pace in the deciding set, serving effectively and challenging Novak to keep up. The Serb made a forehand mistake in the fourth game, losing his serve and falling behind 3-1. Tsitsipas continued to serve well and had a chance to secure the victory at 5-3. In the ninth game, the Greek hit a winning smash, celebrating one of his best career wins and causing Djokovic to exit the Shanghai Masters earlier than expected.
Photo from Novak Djokovic Instagram
