Shanghai
Djokovic brushes off Cilic in Shanghai opener
Serbian chasing record-extending fifth Shanghai crown
October 03, 2025
Rolex Shanghai Masters
Novak Djokovic improves to a 40-6 report in Shanghai.
By Jerome Coombe
Novak Djokovic went old-school along with his ways on Friday night on the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the place he overcame Marin Cilic 7-6(2), 6-4 to kick-start his bid for a record-extending fifth title.
Channelling his interior Ivan Lendl, Djokovic sprinkled sawdust on his arms to fight the humidity, which had him struggling to take care of grip early on. He additionally absorbed the heavy artillery of Cilic, who blasted 20 winners within the first set alone. And although he appeared to tweak his again within the third sport of the second set, Djokovic struck cleanly from each wings to earn a hard-fought victory after one hour, 55 minutes.
“I struggled to seek out my rhythm from the baseline,” admitted Djokovic. “I [lacked] some matches — my final one was on the US Open — so I obtained a extremely powerful opener towards Marin, who when is feeling the ball, is so harmful and may beat anyone. He didn’t give me time to breathe, so I feel I dug myself out of bother with good serving, which clearly makes me joyful.”
Similar metropolis, similar story 🔁@DjokerNole books his spot within the third spherical for the eleventh consecutive time in Shanghai@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/nsBxxJWdon
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 3, 2025
Regardless of current health scares, together with physical worries that haunted him during the US Open final month, Djokovic’s trademark effectivity was on full show. In opposition to Cilic, whom he now leads 20-2 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head collection, the Serbian as soon as once more showcased his uncanny capacity to lift his stage when required.
The packed crowd welcomed Djokovic with roars on the Qizhong Forest Sports activities Metropolis Enviornment, the place the tenth seed Holger Rune and countryman Hamad Medjedovic had been amongst these in attendance for his return to tour-level motion for the primary time since his US Open semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz.
Returning to Shanghai for the primary time since his loss to Jannik Sinner in final 12 months’s ultimate, Djokovic may face the Italian as soon as once more in the event that they each progress to the semi-finals in 2025. He subsequent faces Yannick Hanfmann, who continued his run from qualifying to upset twenty fifth seed Frances Tiafoe.
By notching his fortieth win in Shanghai, in response to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Djokovic turned the primary man to report 40 or extra wins at six totally different ATP Masters 1000 occasions because the collection’ introduction in 1990 (Rome 68, Indian Wells 51, Paris 50, Miami 49, Cincinnati 45).
With a mixed age of 79 years and 139 days, Djokovic and Cilic’s duel was the oldest ATP Masters 1000 main-draw assembly since 1990 — a testomony to each gamers’ endurance. Djokovic holds the all-time report for many weeks at World No. 1 (428), whereas Cilic, a former No. 3, stays remembered for his 2014 US Open triumph, amongst his tally of 21 tour-level titles.
“Tonnes of respect for Marin, all he has achieved and who he’s as an individual,” stated Djokovic. “We get alongside very nicely off the courtroom, we’ve recognized one another for some a few years. The final time we performed was three years in the past, so it’s nice to see him again taking part in at this stage.”
But whereas Djokovic has reached the semi-finals in any respect 4 majors this 12 months, his Masters 1000 campaigns have faltered. A runner-up end in Miami is bookended by early exits in Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid. Now, in Shanghai, certainly one of his happiest searching grounds, Djokovic is aiming to reset the stability.
The report seven-time Nitto ATP Finals is at present fourth within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin, with a 32-10 standing on the 12 months.
