Novak Djokovic reached the round of 16 at the Masters 1000 in Shanghai without losing a set. The Serbian ace had not shown a good performance at the debut against Alex Michelsen, risking more than expected especially in the second set. After winning two tiebreaks against the young American, there was great anticipation to see Nole in action against Italian talent Flavio Cobolli. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has delivered one of his best performances of the season leaving only three games to his opponent, who had called him his idol before the match began.
Novak Djokovic, 2024 Shanghai Masters© Stream screenshot
The former world number 1 tried all shots, served very well and gave the feeling of being very good physically. The 37-year-old from Belgrade – who has not yet won an ATP title this year – is keen to get a great result in China, where he has already won four times. His next opponent is Russian ace Roman Safiullin – already beaten this year on the red clay of Monte Carlo – who eliminated the American Frances Tiafoe at the end of a very hard battle. Much will depend on the level of play of Novak, who scared all rivals with yesterday’s performance. The Serbian legend intends to entertain the crowd in the coming days.
Djokovic is a living legend
Djokovic is a living legend of the sport and he’s doing everything possible to stay motivated despite winning everything that any tennis player could dream of. Novak did not let Flavio Cobolli escape in the final round in Shanghai. The Serbian top-flight striker beat him 6-1 6-2, winning a round of 16 draw against Roman Safiullin. Former number one was very honest in the press conference admitting that his opponent could not be in the best physical condition due to the long match played the previous day.
“I was really solid from the bottom of the court and I always tried to control the game. All in all, two great sets. I can’t wait to play tomorrow. I will face Safiullin who is playing very well on the fast surfaces. I know his qualities and what he can do on the court. I’ll have to be very careful. The advantage of not playing many tournaments is that you are physically fresher. A couple of days without games can help the body, although it’s not ideal to have too long breaks when playing a tournament because of the feeling you get on the court,” he said.
Novak Djokovic, 2024 Shanghai Masters© Stream screenshot
We are all used to see Djokovic breaking numerous records, which he has often shared with the other two legends of this sport, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Thanks to the victory against the blue, Nole has surpassed the Spanish First Division (82.02%, 406-89), becoming the player with the highest percentage of victories in the Masters 1000 (with a minimum of 10 games). This statistic was reported by OptaAce.
Nole is still very hungry
During the press conference after his match against Cobolli in Shanghai, the former World No.1 opened up on his future: “I always want to do very well in China, and I think my past results are a testament to how I feel here. I have always had tremendous success, both in Beijing and in Shanghai. It is definitely because of the love, respect and support I always get from the Chinese people.
My connection is very deep and five years without coming to China has been a long time, so I will do everything possible to go back to next year. I don’t know what next year will bring in terms of schedule and so on. I know I still want to play. I have to see where I am in my life with my body and everything, but I still have plans to move on, like these years, prioritizing big events. But I would still like to continue my annual trip to China, at least for a tournament because of the incredible energy and love that I feel here”.
Flavio Cobolli & Novak Djokovic, 2024 Shanghai Masters© Stream screenshot
Despite not winning a single Grand Slam title this season, 2024 has given Nole the biggest dream of his legendary career. The 37-year-old from Belgrade won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics this summer, finally completing the puzzle and proving himself to be a global icon.
His performance in the final against Carlos Alcaraz on the iconic Philippe Chatrier has electrified the world, which paid him a splendid tribute in the days following the match. Djokovic has finally broken the Olympic curse in what was probably his last participation in the Games. In fact, the Serbian ace said he would like to be present in Los Angeles in 2028 when he is 41 years old.