StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

NOVAK DJOKOVIC SMASHES ANOTHER RECORD AFTER SHANGHAI OPENING VICTORY

Novak Djokovic beats Marin Čilić at the Shanghai Masters, setting a new ATP record. Read the full match recap, analysis of his historic 20th win over Čilić, and preview his next match against Yannick Hanfmann

Novak Djokovic smashes another record after Shanghai opening victory
Novak Djokovic smashes another record after Shanghai opening victory

On Friday, October 3, Novak Djokovic made a triumphant comeback to the Shanghai Masters, defeating Maren Cilic 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

The 24-time major champion's most recent appearance in China came one month after he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semifinals.

The four-time Masters 1000 singles winner Djokovic is aiming to win the competition for the first time since 2018. Last year, he made it to the final before losing to Jannik Sinner.

Early on against Čilić, the Serbian found it tough to handle the humid circumstances, which made it impossible for him to maintain his grip.

The match was close until the first set tie-break in Shanghai, when Čilić's two missed break-point attempts in the eleventh game were the only instances of genuine danger.

Djokovic recovered from dropping the opening point in the tie-break and easily won the necessary seven points to win the first set.

To complete a comeback victory and advance to the round of 32, the 38-year-old then broke early in the second set before holding service and avoiding two more break opportunities in the last game.

Novak Djokovic wins in Shanghai, setting an amazing new record

With his victory over Cilic on Friday, Djokovic defeated the Croatian Grand Slam champion 20 times in 22 ATP Tour encounters.

After Djokovic accomplished the same feat against Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, and Gael Monfils, Cilic is now the seventh man to do it.

The Serbian has won 20 or more ATP Tour matches against more than five different opponents, making him the first player in the Open Era to do so.

With his victory over Cilic on Friday, Djokovic defeated the Croatian Grand Slam champion 20 times in 22 ATP Tour encounters.

After Djokovic accomplished the same feat against Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, and Gael Monfils, Cilic is now the seventh man to do it.

The Serbian has won 20 or more ATP Tour matches against more than five different opponents, making him the first player in the Open Era to do so.

The tennis legend will now aim to have another successful run in Shanghai, beginning on Sunday, October 5, when he plays Yannick Hanfmann in this year's event.

After overcoming a set deficit to defeat Frances Tiafoe of the United States in an unexpected victory on Friday, the German earned a berth in the round of 32.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC LANDS IN ATHENS AFTER HISTORIC AUSTRALIAN OPEN RUNNER-UP FINISH

After a historic loss to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic returns to his family in Athens to reset for the 2026 tennis season.

top-news
Novak Djokovic loses first-ever Australian Open final to unstoppable Carlos Alcaraz

After losing his first Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic just wanted to see his family.

Djokovic landed in Athens on Tuesday, wrapping up two weeks away from home and marking his 38th appearance in a major final.

For the first time ever, Novak walked away from Rod Laver Arena with the runner-up trophy. At 36, he became the oldest finalist in Australian Open history, but Alcaraz stopped him in four sets: 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. The match lasted just over three hours.

This was Djokovic's first tournament in more than two months, and even so, he showed why people call him a legend. He cruised through the first three rounds and reached the last 16 without much fuss.

In the fourth round, Jakub Mensik had to pull out with an abdominal injury, so Novak got a walkover and saved some energy for the big matches ahead. But things nearly fell apart a few days later. Lorenzo Musetti took the first two sets in their quarterfinal, and for a moment, Djokovic looked like he might be headed home early. Then, out of nowhere, Musetti retired in the third set, and suddenly Novak was through to his 13th Australian Open semi-final.

Next up was Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending champ. Djokovic had to dig deep. Twice he came back from a set down and eventually won 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after more than four hours on court. He fought off 16 out of 18 break points and weathered over 70 winners from Sinner, proving that belief really does go a long way. At 36, he marched into his 38th major final.

Djokovic left everything on court against Alcaraz. He started strong, but the Spaniard found his rhythm and took control in the second and third sets, racking up five breaks. In the fourth, Novak saved six break points early on and kept pace, even earning a break chance at 4-all. Then he missed a forehand he’d usually make, and just like that, his shot at a fifth set slipped away.

Alcaraz broke late in the set and sealed the win, handing Djokovic his first-ever loss in an Australian Open final. Now, Novak’s taking some time off to be with his family. He’s expected back on court soon, probably in Doha, but right now, only he knows how his schedule will look.

WHO IS SAMUEL LOPEZ? MEET THE COACH BEHIND CARLOS ALCARAZ’S 2026 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GLORY

Discover the touching moment Carlos Alcaraz saw coach Samuel Lopez receive a trophy after his Australian Open victory.

top-news
Samuel Lopez is the perfect strategic fit for Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz just pulled off something huge—he beat Novak Djokovic in four sets (2:6, 6:2, 6:3, 7:5) to win the Australian Open. With this win, he joins the legends of the Open era, becoming one of the rare players to snag at least one title at all four Grand Slams.

Here’s the wild part: Alcaraz is just 22. Actually, he turns 23 on May 5, so he’s still got plenty of time. This marks his seventh Grand Slam title already. For a bit of perspective, Djokovic had only one Grand Slam trophy at Alcaraz’s age.

Since he’d never won the Australian Open before, Alcaraz didn’t really know the drill for the trophy ceremony. His coach, Samuel Lopez, got a trophy too, which caught Carlos off guard—in a good way. Their partnership has clearly paid off.

Talking to the media, Alcaraz said he loved that coaches get recognised with their own trophy. He hadn’t seen that before and thought it was a fantastic idea, since a champion’s journey isn’t a solo effort. Watching Samuel Lopez get his moment meant a lot to him. “It’s wonderful, and when I saw him there, I was so happy because I know Samuel has been working toward this moment his whole life. For me, he’s one of the best coaches—if not the best—you can have on a tennis court today. For me, it was a magical and incredibly special moment: hugging him after the last point and also seeing him there, with everyone recognising what he deserves,” Alcaraz said.

Not everyone was convinced after Alcaraz split with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and started working with Lopez. Some experts doubted whether he could keep dominating the tour this year. But after Melbourne, it looks like Alcaraz isn’t going anywhere. Even without Ferrero, he’s still leading the pack.

With three more Grand Slams coming up this season, it’s shaping up to be a wild ride. You get the feeling that we’ll be watching Alcaraz and Sinner battling for the biggest prizes all year long.

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News