SHANGHAI — In a gripping showdown at the Shanghai Masters, Novak Djokovic sought medical assistance after dropping the second set, only to bounce back and triumph over Jaume Munar with a score of 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 amidst sweltering heat and humidity.
Following a lengthy rally that ended with a wayward forehand, Djokovic collapsed to the court, lying on his back for a few moments with his forearm shielding his eyes. Gradually, he sat up, resting his head between his legs before receiving support from a trainer to return to his chair.
As he received treatment in his chair prior to the third set, Djokovic swiftly broke Munar’s serve, capitalizing on a missed overhead from his opponent while leading 40-15.
The 38-year-old veteran opted out of the customary post-match interview but took to X, sharing, “Tough day at the office. Very challenging physically.”
This victory positioned Djokovic as the oldest player to advance to the quarterfinals at an ATP Masters 1000 event—two months older than Roger Federer during his run to the last eight in Shanghai back in 2019.
With this win, Djokovic is on the hunt for his record-extending 41st Masters title.
His next challenge will be against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs.
Tenth seed Holger Rune also faced a tough match, overcoming the powerful serve of Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-3.
