NOVAK DJOKOVIC LEFT PUZZLED AFTER OPPONENT’S STRANGE POST-MATCH COMMENT
Novak Djokovic beat Zizou Bergs to reach a record-tying 80th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final at the Shanghai Masters. The Belgian admitted he "idolised" the Serb, affecting his performance.
At the 2025 Shanghai Masters, Novak Djokovic defeated Zizou Bergs in straight sets to reach the ATP Masters 1000 level's record-tying 80th semifinal.
In his 11th appearance at the event, the 24-time Grand Slam champion advanced to the Shanghai semi-finals for a record-tying 10th time, defeating world No. 44 Bergs 6-3, 7-5 in the final eight.
With 13 appearances in the Italian Open final four, Djokovic is now only the second player, after Rafael Nadal, to make it to the semi-finals of different Masters events ten or more times.
Bergs told Djokovic at the net after their first encounter that his performance had been impacted by his adoration for the renowned Serb.
Before the two gave each other a tender embrace, the 26-year-old Belgian said, "Man, I have got to quit idolising you."
Colin Fleming, a tennis expert and former world No. 17 in doubles, offered his opinion on Bergs' remark.
There, Bergs told the entire tale. As he made his way to the net, Fleming stated on Sky Sports, "I have to stop idolising you."
I mean, I think that is a little strange. Playing Djokovic for the first time, though, makes sense. That, in my opinion, sums up the contest.
"I believe he simply exaggerated the match in his own thoughts. playing for the first time against Djokovic. He managed it both physically and in terms of his skill set, but he was unable to maintain the level.
It was quite the ride for him. Occasionally amusing, but ultimately costly to him.
As a Tennis TV pundit, former British No. 1 Barry Cowan also responded to Bergs' remarks.
Bergs said nice things. You just have to be honest, after all. According to Cowan, it did seem somewhat that way.
In terms of the first [Masters] quarterfinal, this was undoubtedly Bergs' biggest match and the biggest quarterfinal he has ever participated in.
Playing someone like Djokovic is obviously a good idea, but I believe Bergs learnt enough to hurt the best players. The only question is whether he can do it consistently, which we know Djokovic can. Djokovic still has a strong sense of competition.
Djokovic was asked what it took to advance to this point in the competition during an on-court interview with Tennis TV.
The 38-year-old stated, "It is pretty much everything, just trying to stay alive, to be honest, on the court."
The first time I met Bergs, he was a wonderful man. He obviously has a lot of firepower. Sometimes I simply tried to make him miss the ball by playing an extra ball on the court. That is what took place.
"He played well, and I should have ended the game at 5-4. I was a touch too passive once more. These past few weeks have been extremely difficult for all of the players, who are just trying to survive on the court and are happy to have passed this obstacle.
In the semifinals, world No. 5 Djokovic will play Monegasque qualifier Valentin Vacherot, who is ranked 204th.
JOAO FONSECA REVEALS THE BRUTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLAYING CARLOS ALCARAZ AND SINNER
Joao Fonseca labels Jannik Sinner a "robot" and claims Carlos Alcaraz has a "bigger arsenal" after his Miami Open exit.
Joao Fonseca hasn’t exactly had a smooth stretch lately. Just look at his recent opponents, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, two heavyweights at the top of the tennis world. Alcaraz beat Fonseca 6-4, 6-4 in Miami, but Fonseca came away with more than just a loss. He’s got a clearer view now of what separates these two giants.
For tennis fans, watching Fonseca face Sinner and Alcaraz was pretty much a dream matchup. The kid’s got hype; people seriously believe he’s the one who’ll someday challenge those two, who for now seem like they’re playing in their own league, barely threatened.
Fonseca still has a journey ahead before anyone can seriously talk about him joining their ranks. But the early signs are strong. He already snagged two ATP titles and climbed to world number 24 in his rookie year – a wild start. Injuries held him back for a bit at the beginning of 2026, but he seems to be finding his feet again, pushing the world’s best in two solid matches.
In Miami, Fonseca made his first-ever fourth-round showing at a Masters 1000, hoping he could keep his momentum against Sinner. He actually had three set points in the first, but Sinner took control and won two tiebreaks, ending Fonseca’s run, but not before Fonseca pushed him hard. Against Alcaraz, Fonseca tried to bring the same level, but it wasn’t enough. Alcaraz broke his serve once per set just enough to claim the win and finish Fonseca’s Miami campaign for another year.
So what does Fonseca make of the difference between Alcaraz and Sinner? After going toe-to-toe with both, he shared his thoughts: “I think Alcaraz has more arsenal than Sinner,” he said in his press conference. Sinner’s like a robot who just kills the ball and does everything perfectly. Carlos? He can do it all: topspin, power, movement, and net play. He’s got everything. It’s harder to read his game because he can break your rhythm in so many ways.”
When it came to Sinner, Fonseca felt more comfortable. “Jannik’s game let me come in without fear and play my style,” he admitted. “But I didn’t take the chances when I had them, and he played well; he’s world number one for a reason. I’ve got to look at my own mistakes and improve.”
The main thing, according to Fonseca, is that Alcaraz is unpredictable. “He’s got pretty much everything, so you don’t know what’s coming. Serve, serve and volley, serve wide and then blast a plus-one shot. That’s what makes playing him tough. You’ve got to play almost a flawless match.”
This wasn’t their first meeting. Fonseca and Alcaraz had faced off at the Miami Tennis Invitational last December, with Alcaraz edging out a super-tight final-set tiebreak. That match hinted at a rivalry that could get a lot more interesting in the future.
WHY DID NOVAK DJOKOVIC REACH OUT TO MOISE KOUAME DESPITE WITHDRAWING FROM MIAMI 2026?
Moise Kouame, 17, becomes the youngest Miami Open winner in history and reveals a secret Instagram DM from Novak Djokovic.
Moise Kouame is only 17, but he’s already catching everyone’s eye in tennis. He started this year on fire, grabbing back-to-back ITF titles, then reaching a Challenger semi-final. Now, he's just picked up his first-ever win on the ATP Tour at a Masters 1000 event, no less.
In other news, Leicester City is fighting back against a six-point penalty for breaking financial rules.
Back to Kouame, the world No. 385 pulled off a gritty comeback against Zachary Svajda, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, even while cramping up by the end. People packed Court 7 to watch him make his Masters 1000 debut as a wildcard. Even Novak Djokovic, who skipped the tournament with a shoulder injury, was watching from afar. Since 2019, Djokovic has only played in Miami once, when he was runner-up last year, but clearly, he’s still following the action.
Now, Kouame has made a bit of history. At 17 years and 13 days old, he’s the youngest man ever to win a match at the Miami Open, matched a Nadal record from 2003, and became the seventh-youngest winner at this level. Not bad for a debut. And then, right after his win, he got a message from his idol. Honestly, Kouame was left speechless.
When Steve Weissman from Tennis Channel interviewed him after his first main-draw tour win, Kouame couldn’t hide his nerves. “Actually, I have a small secret. After the win, Novak texted me. I’m so nervous. I don’t know what to answer! I’m really so nervous right now. I don’t know if I’m going to answer. Maybe if you have tips, maybe you can give me?”
He tried to figure out what to say. Should he just text, "Thank you, Novak"? Or maybe, "Thank you, my idol"? Nothing sounded right. “No, never [met him]. It’s my dream. [It was] on Instagram! He DMed me. So, imagine having your idol DM you like this. Oh my god. This is too much for me. Oh my god. Coolest thing ever.”
Weissman jumped in with a bit of advice, too: “Don’t just double-tap it; you’ve got to give a response. ‘Thanks so much, Novak. If you have any time to meet in the future, that would be amazing. Any tips you have, maybe some advice.’
Some tips from Djokovic would come in handy, especially with Kouame set to face 21st seed Jiri Lehecka next. He had to see the physio for cramps after his first-round win, but told Tennis Channel he was doing alright, just a little jittery about talking live on TV.
“Now I’m feeling good, quite stressed! Obviously, we’re live, and my English, all this – I’m quite stressed. But in the match it was cool. I had some cramps, but yeah, I managed to get over it and win at the end. I’m really happy with it,” he said.
What a ride: first big ATP win, a message from Djokovic, and now the whole tennis world is watching.
