On October 3, 2025, Novak Djokovic began his quest for a record fifth title at the Shanghai Masters with an impressive straight-sets victory against Marin Cilic. This marked Djokovic’s first outing since his semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open, where he had been vying for yet another Grand Slam title.
Seeded fourth, Djokovic faced some early challenges in the humid conditions, requiring him to apply sawdust to his palms to ensure better grip on his racket. Nevertheless, he emerged victorious with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-4. The match was competitive, particularly in the first set, which culminated in a tiebreak where Djokovic showcased his experience. Crucially, after breaking Cilic’s serve early in the second set, Djokovic demonstrated resilience by saving two break points during a tense final game, ultimately closing out the match with his tenth ace.
Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic admitted to struggling with rhythm, highlighting the difficulties of returning to competition after a break. “Marin is a dangerous opponent when he finds his range, and I had to work hard to regain my footing,” he noted, expressing satisfaction with his serving under pressure.
Looking ahead, Djokovic’s next challenge will be against German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann, who claimed victory over Frances Tiafoe with a score of 6-7 (9), 6-2, 6-1 in his opening match.
In other matchups, sixth seed Ben Shelton made his return to the court after a shoulder injury sustained at the US Open but faced disappointment as he was knocked out by David Goffin, who won 6-2, 6-4. Shelton, who has eyes on qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin beginning November 9, now faces an uphill battle as he currently sits sixth in the points race, needing to make up ground after this loss.
The top seeds in the tournament received first-round byes, including fifth-seeded Taylor Fritz, who was in action later that day. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner, fresh off a victory at the China Open earlier in the week, is set to compete on Saturday. Notably, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz announced his withdrawal from the event due to minor health concerns after his triumph at the Japan Open.
