By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, October 3, 2025
Photo Credit: Jade Gao/AFP/Getty
Absence makes the heart grow more beloved – and Novak Djokovic Even tougher.
Playing his first match since the US Open semifinal, Gjokovic showed sharp services and severity under stress Dip 7-6 (2), 6-4 to mark his 40th career victory in Rolex Shanghai Masters today.
There is a historic moment for Djokovic, who is the first man to score 40 or more victories in six ATP Masters 1000 tours.
In the oldest match in the history of ATP Masters 1000, the 38-year-old Serbian superstar served 68 percent, won 42 out of the 50 first service points, pumped 10 ACES and rescued all the 4 resting points he faced with the protection of the 37-year-old.
“Very pleased,” Gjokovic said after raising his record in 2025 to 32-10. “A lot of respect for Mari and everything he has achieved and who is as a person. We go well.
“We haven’t played (one another lately). Last time was three years ago. For me, I fought to find my pace from the beginning. I miss the game game, US Open was the last, so I had a really fierce opening against Marin.”
Novak loves Shanghai
The moment he gathered his 40th victory at this event and first at this level since March#Rolexshaggnhaimasters Pic.twitter.com/2ull3o8hih
– Tenis TV (@tennistv) October 3 2025
Although which struck seven other winners – 28 to 21 – Djokovic played cleaner tennis, making only 15 forced mistakes, which was nine less than his opponent.
“He was so aggressive and didn’t give me time to breathe,” Gjokovic said. “I dig myself from trouble with good service.
“Of course, I still have to improve my game. But I’m happy with the victory.”
Launching his search for a 41st ATP Masters Record 1000 Championship, Djokovic will play Yannick Hanfmann.
The German qualification Hanfmann blocked 21 aces against a double fault by overthrowing Frances Tiophoe 25th of the 25th, 6-7 (9), 6-2, 6-1 earlier today. Gjokovic defeated Hanfmann in their only preliminary meeting, 6-3, 6-3, in the Geneva 2024 tournament.
The four-time champion in Shanghai, Djokovic improved to 20-2 Lifetime VS Cilic with today’s victory that comes more than 16 years after they split into the Beijing final.
On a sweaty, sticky evening, chair lawyer James Keothavong released Djokovic a gentle warning of flirting with service violations, adding because the towel box was so far from the court – and the moisture was so oppressive that it was giving both players some extra time.
Level at 5, Djokovic was excavated to deny two resting points and prevails in a 13-minute pure hold for 6-5. In a miss, who can run now, the Croatian disfigured in a preface to the return of a second service to his first point of rest of that game. At the second point of rest, which scored a background.
Gjokovic struck a served down t and breathed a sigh of relief by relying on that hard retention for 6-5.
Commanding the service from the Croatian seal a love to force the first established connector after 59 minutes of play.
Gjokovic returned the tables to Tiebreaker constantly drilling the US Open 2014 sample service.
Mini holidays scored five of the first seven points while Djokovic withdrew a wrong preface to go 5-2.
The fall of a great service below t brought the many points of Djokovic to 6-2.
A sharp djokovic attracted another Miss Miss to grab a lead with a set after 67 minutes with high quality game.
Keeping the second level after two games, Gjokovic stopped at ARCH has returned and stretching his leg as if trying to cook kinks from a body playing his first match since last month.
However, it was the one who soon showed more strain from a first physical set. The Croatian scored successive successive shots and made a final mistake by removing the rest and a 2-1 lead of the second set in Djokovic after one hour, 22 minutes.
Rejecting his fifth aceu, Gjokovic supported the 3-1 lead.
Grand Slam King tried through four successive love bears the construction of a 5-4 lead of the second set, but then the pressure was hit when serving for the match.
Gjokovic marked a double fault to face the resting point, but avoided it in a wide qualitative width.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z20rv8alnfy
The fourth seed faced a second point of rest – and was hit with a warning of time violation by the keoThavong umpire chair – but saved him when he sent a long time.
At the point of the match, Gjokovic pierced his 10th acen by signing a one hour win, 54-minute style.
