Shanghai’s No. 1 Echoes Fuel Djokovic and Medvedev’s Push

Since its inception in 2009, the Shanghai Masters has stood as one of the most prestigious stops on the ATP Masters 1000 calendar. Over the years, it has constantly attracted the game’s biggest names and produced some of its most memorable battles. Five of the 29 players to reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings have triumphed in Shanghai: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner.

Two from that illustrious quintet are in the midst of deep runs at this year’s event: Medvedev, who will face Alex de Minaur Friday in the quarter-finals, and Djokovic, who will meet surprise package World No. 204 Valentin Vacherot in Saturday’s semis. As the 2025 tournament boils towards its conclusion, the fast hard courts amplify every crosscourt exchange and down-the-line strike, evoking the psychological edges that propelled those No. 1s through grueling seasons.

Murray builds unstoppable momentum

Andy Murray made Shanghai his playground with back-to-back titles in 2010-11, before returning in 2016 for one of the most important victories of his career. Arriving as the World No. 2, he had already built momentum with titles in Rome, Queen’s Club, Wimbledon and Beijing. The Briton leaned into the surface’s speed, storming through the field without dropping a set to complete his Shanghai hat-trick and later extending his winning streak to 24 matches to earn his lone ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF finish.

That run captured his psychological arc at its peak, where the pressure of chasing year-end supremacy fueled unyielding focus. Each crosscourt forehand and inside-out backhand carried the burden of a season’s expectations, transforming the humid courts into a stage for relentless pursuit. Crowds sensed the tension in his serves, the roar after every point building toward cathartic release, as his one–two punch dismantled opponents in prolonged rallies that wore down foes on the skidding surface.

Djokovic claws back for dominance

Djokovic denied Murray’s bid for a Shanghai three-peat in unforgettable fashion in 2012. After semi-final runs in 2009-10, he stormed through the field upon return two years later to set a clash with Murray in the final. Across three hours, 21 minutes of battle, he clawed back from a set and a break down—saving five championship points en route—to seize his first Shanghai crown, avenging his recent US Open final defeat to Murray one month prior and taking a 9-7 lead in their rapidly growing ATP Head2Head rivalry.

That epic comeback revealed the Serb’s inner steel, forged in a season marked by injuries and rivalries that tested his resolve. The crowd’s electric energy amplified every defensive slice and down-the-line winner, as he navigated desperation with elastic retrieval. He successfully defended his title in 2013 and won further trophies in 2015 and 2018, making him the tournament’s most decorated champion; each triumph layered psychological armor, sharpening tactical adaptability with heavy topspin groundstrokes and net approaches to disrupt rhythms amid No. 1 pressures.

Facing Vacherot now echoes those battles, a reminder of how Shanghai has been his crucible for resilience in a 2025 schedule packed with redemption arcs, where underspin variations could control low-bouncing rallies against the underdog’s unorthodox game.

Federer ignites fire from escapes

Roger Federer’s first Shanghai title in 2014 began with a great escape. In his opening match against Leonardo Mayer, the Swiss star saved five match points before surviving a tense third-set tie-break. That getaway lit a fire under him, powering through the rest of the draw—including top seed Djokovic in the semi-finals—to lift his maiden Shanghai trophy, varying serve placement to exploit the court’s pace and draw opponents into mid-court traps.

The victory underscored how the hard courts rewarded his flat trajectory shots, with precise inside-in forehands pinning rivals back and opening passing lanes. He returned three years later to capture his second Shanghai title, and 27th ATP Masters 1000 crown, where the prestige eased the season’s accumulated strains. On those expansive courts, his fluid backhand slice threaded needles under pressure, the crowd’s applause a balm against the mental toll of endless travel, blending Eastern intensity with global spotlight to heighten stakes.

Medvedev delivers flawless power

Medvedev had already hinted at his potential in Shanghai when he pushed Federer to three sets in 2018, but it was the following year when he fully delivered on that promise. Returning in 2019 as the World No. 4, and a completely different player, he dominated the field with a near-flawless display of power and consistency to clinch his first title. He capped his run with consecutive wins over two of his greatest rivals, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, in the semi-final and final, respectively, using crosscourt angles to exploit their movement.

His deep returns neutralized second serves, setting up one–two combinations that overwhelmed baselines on the fast surface, stemming from mental adjustments that curbed frustration into focused aggression. The humid air thickened tension, but his stoic demeanor absorbed the crowd’s murmurs, channeling pressure into precise down-the-line strikes. Heading into his quarterfinal against de Minaur‘s quickness, the Russian carries that legacy, recalibrating flat shots to counter the Australian’s defensive scrambling in a matchup where surface speed could amplify counterattacks.

Sinner surges with bold execution

Sinner became the latest ATP No. 1 Club member to shine in Shanghai, capturing last year’s title in the midst of an end-of-season surge. He dropped just one set en route to a championship-match clash with record champion Djokovic. With fearless execution and unwavering focus, Sinner toppled the Serbian 7-6(4), 6-3 and snapped his perfect 4-0 streak in Shanghai finals, employing aggressive inside-out forehands and timely net rushes to disrupt rhythm on the responsive courts.

That 2024 triumph highlighted his psychological growth, transforming a breakout year’s burden into explosive confidence, with heavy groundstrokes and serve holds thriving under the lights. The arena’s pulse synced with his rising trajectory, rewarding tactical evolution in handling pressure points that influenced his rankings ascent. As Djokovic and Medvedev navigate their current paths, Sinner’s bold claim lingers as inspiration, underscoring how the Masters 1000’s mental demands in Shanghai continue to shape the next generation’s resolve, potentially tipping the 2025 No. 1 race with every deep run.