Djokovic grinds through Shanghai humidity
Novak Djokovic overcomes early rust and sticky conditions to advance in Shanghai, but Ben Shelton’s post-injury return stumbles, tightening the race for year-end spots.
In the thick humidity of Shanghai’s Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Novak Djokovic returned to the tour with a performance that blended caution and conviction. The air clung to everything, challenging grips and forcing pauses, as the fourth seed faced Marin Cilic in a second-round encounter that tested his resolve after weeks away. Djokovic edged a tight first set via tiebreak before breaking early in the second, ultimately prevailing 7-6 (2), 6-4 with a match-sealing ace—his 10th of the afternoon.
Humidity disrupts baseline rhythm
Djokovic’s strokes lacked their usual precision early on, the damp conditions slicking his strings and slowing his one–two combinations. Cilic pressed with flat groundstrokes, his backhand down-the-line forcing defensive crosscourt exchanges that kept the Serbian off balance. To steady himself, Djokovic dusted his hands with sawdust mid-match, stabilizing his toss and unleashing serves that pinned the Croatian deep, turning potential breaks into holds.
After securing an early break in the second set, he faced two break points in the final game but relied on sharp inside-in forehands to escape. The crowd sensed the shift, their cheers swelling with each defensive scramble, as Djokovic’s movement sharpened despite the haze. This win, his first since a US Open semifinal loss to Carlos Alcaraz, felt like a tactical recalibration on hard courts that reward aggression.
“I struggled to find my rhythm from the baseline,” Djokovic said. “I lacked some matches—my last one was at the US Open—so I got a really tough opener against Marin, who when he is feeling the ball, is so dangerous and can beat anybody. He didn’t give me time to breathe, so I think I dug myself out of trouble with good serving, which obviously makes me happy.”
Shelton’s shoulder shadows his comeback
Across the draw, sixth-seeded Ben Shelton made his first appearance since a left shoulder injury at the US Open, but David Goffin exploited the American’s rust for a 6-2, 6-4 upset. A brief rain delay disrupted Shelton’s rhythm, allowing the Belgian to break soon after with precise crosscourt returns that neutralized his lefty spin. Shelton’s powerful inside-out forehands landed long under pressure, his serve lacking the bite that had defined his summer surge.
The five-week layoff weighed heavily, as Goffin’s steady baseline probing forced errors and taxed the recovering shoulder. Earlier in the week, Shelton had expressed hope for qualifying to the ATP Finals in Turin starting November 9, holding sixth in the race where eight spots remain. This straight-sets defeat dents those ambitions, underscoring the mental toll of rebuilding momentum on a surface that amplifies physical demands.
End-of-season stakes sharpen in Shanghai
Djokovic now eyes a third-round matchup with German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann, who outlasted American Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (9), 6-2, 6-1 by targeting second serves with deep returns. The broader field hums with urgency: fifth-seeded Taylor Fritz took the court later that Friday, fresh from a Japan Open final loss, while Jannik Sinner arrives Saturday after his China Open title in Beijing. Top-ranked Alcaraz skips the event due to minor ailments following his Tokyo win, potentially clearing a path for Djokovic’s fifth Shanghai crown.
For Shelton, the focus turns to recovery and selective play in the Asian swing, where every point counts toward Turin. Djokovic’s advance, meanwhile, signals a return to form, his serves honed for the late-season battles that separate contenders from champions on these bounce-friendly hard courts.