![\"Novak](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/djokovic-shanghai-2025-preview.jpg\")
<\/p>\n Shanghai
\n Djokovic on where he favours himself against Alcaraz & Sinner…<\/p>\n
Serbian competing for first time since his US Open semi-final defeat in early September<\/p>\n
October 02, 2025<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
Novak Djokovic in action last month at the US Open.
\n By Sam Jacot<\/p>\n
Novak Djokovic<\/a>\u2019s intergenerational rivalries with Carlos Alcaraz<\/a> and Jannik Sinner<\/a> has been one of the hottest talking points on the Tour in the past three years.<\/p>\n The Spaniard and Italian have split the past eight majors since Djokovic\u2019s triumph at the US Open<\/a> in 2023, but the Serbian has had his share of success, beating Alcaraz in the 2024 Paris Olympics<\/a> gold medal match and Sinner in the title decider at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, this season, the 38-year-old has struggled to find a way past the World No. 1 and No. 2, losing to Sinner in the semi-finals at Roland Garros<\/a> and Wimbledon<\/a> and to Alcaraz in the last four at the US Open<\/a>. Speaking ahead of the Rolex Shanghai Masters<\/a>, where Djokovic will compete for the first time since he fell to Alcaraz in New York, the former World No. 1 reflected on the state of his rivalry with both.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m still working my hardest that I possibly can in the circumstances to challenge the guys or to challenge myself primarily and really see how I can do on all the tournaments that I take part in,\u201d Djokovic said on Thursday during his pre-tournament press conference in Shanghai. \u201cOf course, best-of-three, duration of the tournament, ideally seven days, that’s where I feel I have a better chance to win a trophy or to make a significant result.<\/p>\n \u201cOther than those matches that I lost to these best two players in the world, I think I played really good tennis in Grand Slams and reached semi-finals in each one of them. So it speaks about the level and the consistency and so I’m pleased with that. But at the same time there’s a part of me that always is a winner, that, you know, wants to be the best. I’ve been fortunate to experience the greatest thing.\u201d<\/p>\n You May Also Like: Djokovic arrives at the Rolex Shanghai Masters <\/a><\/p>\n Djokovic opens against Marin Cilic<\/a> in Shanghai and is seeded to meet the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Sinner in the semi-finals. Sinner leads Djokovic 6-4 in the pair\u2019s Lexus ATP Head2Head series and has won their past five meetings, dating back to Turin in 2023. However, Djokovic is not too disheartened despite his recent record.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is not ideal when you really are playing big matches and you’re losing against currently the best players in the world. But nevertheless, that’s not discouraging me to keep going,\u201d Djokovic said. \u201cI don’t play tennis only for the sake of making results and winning trophies, there’s several other reasons why I keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n One of those reasons the 100-time tour-level titlist continues to compete is the opportunity to play in front of his son Stefan, daughter Tara and wife Jelena. Stefan and Tara have regularly been spotted watching their dad courtside, with Tara\u2019s celebration dance with Djokovic a fun highlight of this year\u2019s Wimbledon<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cMy son, he plays tennis more and so he follows what’s going on. He was really insisting on traveling with me to China. He wants to travel with me everywhere, but he has to do school, and it’s not that simple,\u201d Djokovic said. \u201cBut he’s really in love with tennis and the sport.<\/p>\n \u201cMy kids and my wife are my biggest supporters and when they are in the stadium you’ve seen them how they support, how passionately they care about and play with me every single point. So, of course, me seeing them on the stands it’s even more inspirational. I love to have them.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"It](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1759430167_502_it-all-adds-up-banner.jpg\"\/)
<\/a><\/p>\n