Struggling Novak Djokovic rallies to reach Shanghai Masters quarterfinals

By SABC Sport
8th October 2025

It was a proper battle as Novak Djokovic needed all three sets to defeat Jaume Munar in their Round of 16 clash at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday.

Novak Djokovic battled health and injury concerns to overcome Jaume Munar in a dramatic three-set last 16 contest at the 2025 Shanghai Masters.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 against 41st-ranked Munar to progress to the quarter-finals of the Masters 1000 tournament after two hours and 41 minutes.

Djokovic took a medical timeout immediately after breaking to take a 3-1 lead in the first set and grimaced at times as he was treated for what appeared to be a left leg injury.

The Serbian closed out the set with some dominant serving before he received treatment again early in the second set, and he was sick on the court during the game at 5-5 later in the same set.

After firing a forehand wide to lose the second set, Djokovic collapsed onto the court and lay flat his back.

The 38-year-old tennis legend looked physically spent and disconsolate, and both the chair umpire and physio went to check on him before he returned from the baseline.

Djokovic saw both the physio and the doctor during the break between sets and he recovered from 40-15 down to break Munar in the opening game of the decider.

The world No. 5 increased his forehand speed considerably in the third set as he remarkably closed out the victory in style.

The heat and humidity in Shanghai means playing conditions at the Masters 1000 tournament have been extremely challenging, and seven players have been forced to retire mid-match.

It was the second successive match in which Djokovic struggled physically after he was sick on court in his gruelling three-set third round win over Yannick Hanfmann.

After that match, Djokovic spoke about the conditions in his on-court interview.

"It's the same for every player out on the court, but it's brutal," Djokovic said.

"It's brutal when you have over 80 per cent of humidity day after day, particularly for the guys when they're playing during the day with heat, with sun, it's even more brutal.

"For me, biologically it's a bit more challenging to deal with it. But I had to really weather the storm today. Yannick played an incredible match from the beginning."

No. 4 seed Djokovic is the highest-ranked player remaining at the Shanghai Masters and he is the favourite to lift the title, with Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti the only other top 10 players remaining in the draw.

Carlos Alcaraz withdrew ahead of the event and Jannik Sinner retired in his third round match due to cramping, while Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton all fell early.