There is great irony to the fact that 38-year-old Novak Djokovic has extended his record as the oldest player to reach an ATP Masters semi-final in a tournament that has essentially been a survival of the fittest so far.
The brutal heat and humidity in Shanghai this week have made for challenging conditions. Repeatedly we have seen players out of breath and doubled over in weather that is considered particularly extreme at this time of year in China.
Djokovic has not escaped such difficulties, even appearing to vomit on the court during his third-round match on Sunday, but his trademark resilience has helped him find a way through against younger opposition. It also helps that matches at this level are contested over the best of three sets, compared with five sets at grand-slam tournaments such as Wimbledon.
Djokovic feels the heat
EPA
Only a few games into his quarter-final against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs on Thursday, it looked as if Djokovic might struggle to even complete a set. At 3-2 up he was seen gasping for breath in exhaustion, while also clutching the left ankle he had hurt earlier in the tournament.
Djokovic is a master, though, at handling the peaks and troughs that come during matches and this experience proved the difference here against his 26-year-old opponent. He kept his composure and encouraged errors from Bergs by doing enough to stay in the point with “an extra ball”, as he later put it, before picking up a second wind.
The world No5’s movement noticeably improved in the second set and he thrilled the crowd in one particular point by defending four smashes and one volley to prevail. A standing ovation after the completion of his 6-3, 7-5 victory in one hour and 50 minutes was well deserved.
Djokovic overcame breathing difficulties to set up a semi-final with Vacherot, the world No204
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“[It has taken] pretty much everything,” Djokovic said. “I’ve been trying to stay alive, to be honest, on the court. There’s always something happening with the body pretty much every match that I play right now. There’s some other issues that I’m trying to address day by day, and hopefully it’s going to get better as the tournament progresses.”
Djokovic has a good chance of winning his first Masters title since Paris in 2023. Carlos Alcaraz, the world No1, withdrew before the tournament with an ankle injury — instead he has been playing golf with Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry at this week’s Spanish Open pro-am — while Jannik Sinner succumbed to the conditions in Shanghai on Sunday by retiring from his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor with cramp.
Djokovic earned a standing ovation after overcoming Bergs, who is 12 years his junior
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Many believe the draw will need to open up in a similar way at a grand-slam event if Djokovic is to win a coveted 25th major trophy, with Alcaraz and Sinner having won all the previous eight between them since the start of 2024. But for now Djokovic is merely focused on what he needs to do to get through two more matches for a record-extending 41st Masters title in front of many of his Chinese fans.
“I’ve been struggling quite a bit with energy levels,” he said. “Just every opportunity that I get, the crowd feels it, and they stand behind me. I can hear that noise and that energy drives me. I’m enjoying myself. As much as I’m suffering, at the same time I’m enjoying to play in front of them.
“I have a day off before my semi-final [on Saturday], so that’s really good. I’m going to come back with the right attitude and intention to win.”
Oldest players to reach an ATP Masters semi-final1. Novak Djokovic — 38 years and 4 months, Shanghai 20252. Djokovic — 37 years and 10 months, Miami 20253. Roger Federer — 37 years and 7 months, Miami 20194. Federer — 37 years and 7 months, Indian Wells 20195. Djokovic — 37 years and 4 months, Shanghai 2024
It has been a week of extremes in Shanghai. At a world ranking of No204, Djokovic’s next opponent, Valentin Vacherot, is the second lowest-ranked Masters semi-finalist since the series began in 1990, behind Chris Woodruff (No550) at Indian Wells in 1999.
After starting in the qualifying draw as an alternate Vacherot is having the run of his life at the age of 26. On Thursday he stunned Holger Rune, the world No11 from Denmark, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to enhance his status as the best player to have emerged from the principality of Monaco.
“I’ve known him for the last couple of years,” Djokovic, a former Monte Carlo resident, said. “He’s playing for Monaco, which is the biggest historical success for Monaco. It’s amazing. Everyone is excited there.”