Shangh Novak Djokovic fought through exhaustion and a painful ankle injury to reach the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters, defeating Spain’s Already 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 on Tuesday.
The 38-year-old world No. 1 remains on course to claim a record-extending fifth Shanghai title,
Djokovic appeared in serious trouble midway through the match when he twisted his left ankle while sprinting toward the net. The Serbian grimaced in pain and required on-court medical attention but continued playing, managing to hold serve in the fifth game of the opening set.
He later took another medical timeout in the second set and showed visible signs of fatigue, often bending over between rallies. Despite roars of encouragement from Serbian-flag-waving fans, Munar capitalized on Djokovic’s struggles, breaking him in the 12th game to take the set 7-5.
At one point, Djokovic collapsed to the court in exhaustion, gasping for air as his team looked on anxiously. Yet, the 24-time Grand Slam champion rallied magnificently in the decider, breaking Munar twice — in the first and seventh games — and sealing victory after two hours and 43 minutes of intense play.
“Thank you, everyone, I love you!” Djokovic shouted in Chinese, waving to an ecstatic crowd before exiting the court quickly.
With the win, Djokovic remains the highest-ranked player still in contention. WhereCarlos AlcarazwiJannik,Alexander Zverev, andTaylor Fritzwho
The Shanghai Masters has been marred by injuries and extreme weather, with temperatures exceeding 30°C and humidity above 80%. Angry rightHello called on the ATP to introduce a heat policy for similar tournaments.
Rune himself advanced to the last eight after defeating France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, while Belgium’s Zizou BergsandHere in a gripping three-set clash, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10/8.
