Novak Djokovic Nears Milestone at Shanghai Masters

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic advanced to the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters following a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory over Roman Safiullin of Russia. This triumph brings him one step closer to achieving his 100th ATP title, a milestone only achieved by legends Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. Djokovic, 37, who clinched his 99th title with an Olympic gold earlier in August, is poised to face 19-year-old Jakub Mensik from the Czech Republic in his next match.

Post-match, Djokovic expressed high satisfaction with his performance against Safiullin, rating it “very close to 10.” “The past two matches are some of the best I’ve played in a while,” the 24-time Grand Slam winner stated, according to BBC Sport correspondent Jonathan Jurejko. This event marks Djokovic’s return to Shanghai since 2019, and he acknowledged that the pursuit of his landmark 100th title fuels his motivation at the ATP 1000 tournament.

Djokovic, a four-time champion of the event, stands as the player with the most match wins at the Shanghai Masters. While he has not dropped a set in his campaign against opponents such as Alex Michelsen and Flavio Cobolli, tougher challenges rise ahead, including potential matches against top-ranked players like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev.

A notable surprise in the tournament was the exit of Alexander Zverev, anticipated to be a semi-final contender. The German second seed was ousted by Belgium‘s David Goffin in a 6-4, 7-5 upset. Goffin, 33, who had previously slipped out of the top 100 rankings, exhibited a resurgence in form to claim his quarter-final spot in an ATP 1000 event for the first time since Wimbledon 2022.

Elsewhere in the tournament, world number one Jannik Sinner overcame American Ben Shelton to secure his quarter-final berth against Medvedev. The Russian fifth seed succeeded against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, who engaged in a verbal dispute with umpire Fergus Murphy during their match.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz continued his impressive form, extending his winning streak to 12 matches with a recent victory over French player Gael Monfils. Alcaraz’s performance underscores the competitive field that Djokovic must navigate as he aims for his centennial title.